David Smith Begins New Life, Kate Faces Crossroads
by Lenesa11
Summary: David Smith is released from prison after 12 years. What's next? Kate learns a secret that will change her life forever. Reed and Reed's reputation is at risk.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

David Smith awoke to strange sounds, eyes not yet open, just awake enough to realize the difference in this morning and all the others before. He heard muffled sounds of voices and … _traffic? _He was very groggy with pain behind his eyes; hell, his whole head ached, but why? He slowly opened his painful eyes. The world that was revealed to him was not the world he'd known for the past twelve years. He was in a hotel room. The muffled voices were of people walking past his room in the hallway. His memory of the night before began to slowly come into view. _I remember now. Oh god, the drinks—the many drinks—the raucous laughter….. the relief of finally being free again!_ He groaned and slowly stretched his long 6 foot 2 inch frame to relieve the tightness in the muscles of his body from having slept in one position all night. He instinctively put his hands to his head in an effort to minimize the pounding effect. He glanced at the clock on the nightstand beside the bed and saw that it was 9 o'clock in the morning. He'd only slept about five hours. It was his first full day of freedom; he had things to do, people to see, and places to go.

It had been twelve years since he'd taken the fall to save the livelihood and reputation of an old friend and was put in prison for embezzlement. He knew the risks of doing this; however, without the trust and surety of his influential and powerful friend who promised him a new life once he was released, he wouldn't have done it. One thing he knew implicitly, deep down in his soul; he could trust Teddy Reed to follow through with his promise.

David Smith slowly got out of bed and walked to the mirror that was situated above the four drawer dresser of the hotel room. _God, it was a hell of a party!_ he thought to himself as his memory continued to slowly reveal the events of the night before. His thick salt and pepper hair was tousled; his dark brown eyes bloodshot from lack of sleep, the booze, or both. Despite the physical effects from the night before, he was younger looking than his 54 years and, other than today, felt it too. He wasn't one to preoccupy himself with his good looks, just pleased the aging process was evidently slower for him than for others he knew that were around his age. He noticed he was alone and relieved to discover this—there'd be time for women, but not now. His primary focus was reestablishing himself using the money Teddy Reed promised would be deposited into a bank account for him upon his release. He'd spent endless hours rehearsing his strategy—_the money will be deposited into an account bearing my name on the same day of my release. A key will be left at the hotel front desk in an envelope addressed to me that will open a safe deposit box at a designated bank containing an ATM card and legal papers verifying that my prison record has been expunged, among other documents, granting me a new beginning._

He decided on this first full day of freedom to soak in the tub with hot water rather than showering. To shower would remind him of the time constraints he lived with for so long in prison. No sir, this bath was going to be a long and relaxing one. An hour or so later, he was bathed, dressed in a pair of blue jeans, boots, and light blue denim shirt, and getting ready to walk out the door of his hotel room when the telephone rang. His head still ached. _Damn, now who could that be?_ He walked over to the phone on the nightstand beside his bed and answered cautiously.

"Hello?"

"David? It's Teddy. How are you this morning?"

"Teddy," David replied, wincing at the pounding pain in his head. "As well as can be expected, after last night. Thanks for keeping it a small affair."

"You're welcome, my friend. You sure put away more than your fair share of drinks and understandably so. " Teddy said with a slight laugh. "It was one hell of a party. Listen, I am forever indebted to you for what you endured on my behalf. There just are not enough words to express my gratitude. I am humbled by your loyalty to our friendship."

"You've thanked me profusely, enough already. I did what I wanted to do. It was my idea. Hell, Teddy, you had a wife and family to protect. I had no one. It's over now. By the way, I suppose I have you to thank for my being put into a _soft_ prison environment—had it been in a hard core one, I'd probably be asking you for a date."

Teddy laughed heartily. "Well, you'd be hard to turn down."

They both laughed and then the mood changed to match the task at hand. "David, the envelope was sent by courier earlier this morning and is waiting for you at the front desk in the hotel lobby. If there is _anythin_g you need or want, you know that all you have to do is ask."

"Thanks, Teddy. I was just about to leave to go downstairs to the lobby to check on the envelope. You know, I have a lot to digest and I plan to take my time. However, the first thing I'm going to do is buy a Harley. The freedom of the open road is calling me. I'll be leaving town in a few days anyway after I tie up some loose ends. I don't know where I'm bound, but I know it'll be far from here—maybe Oregon. It's nice this time of year."

"Well, wherever you decide to go, travel safe and keep in touch. But first, do retrieve that envelope waiting for you before you do anything else today, ok?" Teddy asked.

"Sure. Anything you say." David sensed a slightly urgent tone in Teddy's voice. "Thanks for calling, and thanks for everything," he said with a surprised tinge of resentment.

"You're welcome. Take care of that headache. Goodbye for now."

David Smith hung up the phone. This tinge of resentment was unexpected. He knew his decision to take the rap for his friend Teddy would be a risky one. David's reputation would be destroyed, friends of his would be surprised by his conviction, and as expected, they were. He was resigned to sacrifice all and for what reason? He owed his life to Teddy. They went back a long way. They were as close as any two guys could be, like brothers.

It was Teddy who risked his life so that David could live. It was during the Vietnam War and both had only been in for six months, joining the Marines at the same time to leave tough and volatile environments at home. On this particular day, Teddy and David were with their respective platoons involved in a gun battle with North Vietnamese in Cambodia. The skirmish had ended badly with fifteen total casualties from their Marine platoon battalions. Those remaining were rushing to others who were injured to get them out of harm's way quickly. Teddy, also injured, saw David, bleeding and badly wounded. He called out to him to make sure he was still alive. He saw that he'd been shot twice. He lifted him over his shoulders and proceeded quickly for almost a mile with other Marines through a hail of gunfire to one of several rescue helicopters waiting to load injured troops. They finally made it to the last rescue helicopter just minutes before its scheduled takeoff. David never took for granted having survived that unpopular war.

Perhaps it was a sense of envy that Teddy had been able to carry on with his life without a hiccup, whereas David's life was halted for twelve years—that's a long time to think about your life and where it had gone up to that point. But, for now, he would complete the _mission _of retrieving the envelope containing the key that would give him life again. Perhaps his new beginning would rid him of this cancerous emotion.

David arrived at the front desk of the hotel and asked for the envelope. He took it from the receptionist and walked to a quiet corner of the lobby and sat down on a chair placed next to an indoor palm away from open windows and piercing bright sunlight. He took a deep breath, wishing his headache to leave him, and began to open the contents of the envelope. In it, he found a safe deposit box key and a bank account identification card. As he left the hotel, he found that the location of the bank that held his account was only a couple of blocks to the right from the hotel. _Teddy thought of everything _David said to himself.

David arrived at the bank and went inside. He presented his identification to a young female customer service representative who, after verifying his ID, proceeded to escort him to the safe depository. They entered the large cold room and the young woman proceeded, with key in hand, to locate the number of the safe deposit box. She found it and proceeded to unlock this for him. "I can get that," David said, taking the key from the woman. "I can take it from here." "Very well, sir. Have a good day," she replied with a slight smile as she returned the key to him. "Thank you, you too," David said. The young woman then walked out without looking back and closed the door quietly behind her unaware that David's lingering gaze had been upon her.

He proceeded to unlock the small door to the depository and withdrew the box. Within the contents of the box he found an ATM card with a pre-issued PIN number attached to it._ I'll have to_ _change that_ he thought to himself. He'd developed a sense of distrust during his prison term that was not likely to vanish any time soon. In addition to the ATM card, he found a bank statement showing the balance of his account. He gasped as he read it: _What? $675,000! Well, I be damned!_ He remembered Teddy telling him early on that he'd make sure there was ample compensation for him to start a new life. He allowed a few minutes for this to digest, his mind racing, comprehending this windfall. Then it suddenly occurred to him; he could fulfill his dream of buying a tavern. He'd think about getting a partner for this venture. It would be a nice place for patrons to frequent and even bring their families. He envisioned a fireplace, dark wood furnishings and bar, much like the one he frequented while he lived in Ireland working as a software engineer for an American company before his life changed. He could give it an Irish name, and, perhaps, have an authentic Irish musician play on the weekends. His mood was lifting and he began to feel hopeful and confident, feelings he hadn't felt for a long time.

Other official papers included those expunging his prison term and reinstating his honorable military discharge and veteran status. It was difficult enough being a Vietnam veteran, but losing that designation was hard to swallow. This relieved him. He sighed and closed his eyes momentarily as if to erase this train of thought and then continued looking through the rest of the box's contents. He found a brown manila envelope tri-folded to fit in the safe deposit box. _What the hell?_ he asked himself. He opened it to find a motorcycle license in his name (the picture was a little outdated, but he hadn't changed too much) and an invoice for a Harley Davidson motorcycle (_hog_ to Harley aficionados). He read its contents which revealed that his favorite _hog_ model, a Sportster, refurbished and the engine rebuilt, was waiting for him, in his name, at a local Harley Davidson dealership. A note, dated on this day of David's first full day of freedom, was attached to the invoice. It read:

_Dear David:_

_I wanted to do one more thing to show my appreciation for what you endured. I remembered our conversation a couple of years ago about your plans to purchase a new '__hog__' as you called it, and getting away from it all. Well, here's your chance. I remembered you were fond of the Sportster. I came across one and as you will see on the invoice, it's been refurbished and is waiting for you at the Harley Davidson showroom. Ask for the salesman, Adam Benson. He's aware of my scheme. Enjoy it! It's a beaut! Drop me a postcard sometime!_

_Teddy _

David couldn't believe his eyes. He certainly didn't expect this! _This is too generous_ he thought to himself. But the more he thought about it, the more it felt right. David wasn't a greedy guy, but damn it all, he felt he deserved it. He would accept it graciously. Teddy was certainly a man of his word, a powerful and generous man with powerful connections. David would not forget this. He took the motorcycle license, invoice for the _hog_—he would need that when he picked up the motorcycle—and the ATM card. He left the rest of the documents in the envelope to retrieve later.

He closed the box and returned it to its proper numbered space and locked it. He left the bank, hailed a cab, and was on his way to the Harley Davidson showroom. David couldn't remember the last time he'd felt this excited about anything. He felt like a kid at Christmas. Twenty minutes later he was walking through the front door of the showroom. A young salesman walked toward him and asked if he could be of help. David asked to speak to Adam Benson. The young salesman excused himself saying he'd get him. A few minutes later, Adam Benson appeared. He was about David's age, a few inches shorter, with a receding hairline and a rather large paunch. After shaking hands and introducing themselves, David explained he was there to pick up his _hog_ and presented the invoice and his ID to him. Adam Benson remembered the sale and escorted David to the area of the showroom where his _hog_ was waiting. Teddy chose pretty much what David had in mind. It was a beaut, alright—black and shiny with polished chrome that glistened in the sunlight. It had a cushioned, black leather covered, double seat, _to make room for company, no doubt,_ David thought to himself smiling, knowing Teddy made sure every detail had been covered. Saddlebags were added to provide storage for any provisions needed on trips. David was given the key and the invoice, and after a handshake and a _thank you, _he pushed the _hog_ outside, seated himself on the smooth leather seat and stowed the invoice in one of the saddle bags. He took a few moments to take in its beauty_,_ started the rumbling engine, and drove off.

David didn't want to go immediately back to the hotel. He decided to ride a while. The _hog_ was full of fuel, an added contribution by Teddy. He decided to ride south along Highway 1 for a while before returning to the hotel. It didn't matter that the _hog _didn't have a radio. The wind and the sound of the rumbling engine was music to his ears. When he cleared the heavy traffic out of San Francisco, he gunned the motor and sped off.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

It was a beautiful, sun-drenched, cloudless day. It was the last Wednesday in October, and autumn was in the air—David Smith's favorite season. Wednesday was the one day of every week that he chose to take time for himself, away from his tavern and its responsibilities. He also remembered it had been almost eight years since he purchased it. The location was good and the business was even better. He had named it Donahue's Tavern.

It had all the design features he had wanted to remind him of his favorite pub in Drogheda, Ireland, where he lived while employed as a software engineer for an American company. The front door displayed a beautiful oval-shaped stained glass insert of a shamrock in the center of the heavy, darkly stained front door with large multi-paned windows on either side. Inside was a brick fireplace located midway on the far right wall, original to the 1800s building. The flooring was antique, rough-hewed pine, maintained regularly to retain its sheen. Each round table had four captain-styled chairs, all of which were made of dark cherry wood as was the bar and captain-styled bar stools. Dark cherry wood booths lined the inner walls of the tavern. There was a small stage located at the back right corner of the dining area. The kitchen's doors were located directly across from the back end of the long bar. The ambiance was warm and welcoming, the choice of beverages unsurpassed, and a menu that included various selections of sandwiches and burgers, seafood, steak, and chicken dishes. Donahue's Tavern was frequented by tourists and regulars alike, most of whom David knew on a first-name basis. Its success was more than he had expected. Life was good.

He got out of bed, showered and began to dress, deciding on a favorite pair of blue jeans, a dark blue, long sleeve Henley-style shirt, and black boots. As he dressed, he decided to take a day trip. He mentally mapped the route he would take—Highway 1 North from its exit off the Golden Gate Bridge, past Stewarts Point continuing north to Leggett. From there, Highway 101 South to Highway 20 West leading back to Highway 1 South back into San Francisco. He'd taken this route several times before. The scenery was always breathtaking, the trip always successful in clearing his head. He proceeded to put on socks and boots then proceeded down the hall and into the kitchen to eat breakfast consisting of cereal, milk, and orange juice.

He put on his bomber-style black leather jacket, supple and aged and found his sunglasses, keys, cell phone, and remote control for the garage door lying on the kitchen counter nearest the door which led into the garage. He grabbed these items off the counter and proceeded to the garage where he stowed the_hog__. _It was parked next to his Jeep, his second favorite mode of transportation.

After putting his cell phone in a zippered pocket of his jacket and the other items in the saddlebags, David put on his sunglasses, activated the automatic garage door opener with a push of a button on the remote. It rose up easily, without constraints. He lifted his right leg over the seat of the Harley and seated himself comfortably and put the key in the ignition. The engine rumbled softly as he proceeded to back out of the garage. Once he had cleared the garage door, it lowered and closed with another push of a button. The remote control device was then stowed in a saddlebag. David turned the _hog_ around in the direction of the street, put on his helmet, revved the engine and was on his way.

David arrived at Donahue's Tavern at the expected hour of 8 a.m. to find "Big Max", an old friend and business partner, already preparing for the day. Max, a former merchant marine with a physique to match, was in his late sixties, a couple of inches taller than David, and solidly built. His head was shaved; he reasoned that since his hair was thinning, there was no use in embarrassing himself with a comb-over. He had a penchant for good cigars, good Scottish whisky, and the horse track. His blue eyes would twinkle, especially when he had a colorful joke to tell—out of earshot of the female employees, of course—making everyone laugh. One joke would sometimes lead to another until the laughter would become uncontrollable. The female employees knew his personality, loved him dearly as a grandfather figure, and overlooked his crude humor if they happened to walk in during one of those moments. He would look their way, apologize good-naturedly, and would resume the joke as they left the room, rolling their eyes and giggling amongst themselves.

He and David began their routine setting up the bar and cash register. David checked with the head cook to make sure he had what was needed for the day. There were no sick calls today so everyone was expected to arrive for their scheduled shifts.

With these tasks finally completed, David left a couple of hours later, looking forward to his ride. He walked back through the kitchen and the back door. He returned to his_hog_, seated himself comfortably, put on his helmet, brought the rumbling engine to life, and drove off in the direction of the Golden Gate Bridge. The traffic was heavy leaving San Francisco over the bay bridge, but thinned out appreciably as he merged onto Highway 1 North.

He'd been riding for a while and realized he was getting hungry. And the temperature was beginning to drop. David remembered he'd stowed a pair of gloves and a pullover sweater in one of the saddlebags for situations like this. He checked his watch and saw that it was after 1 p.m., so he began to look for a place to eat. Having found one, he parked his _hog_, cut the engine, locked the ignition, and proceeded into the small diner. It was clean, not fancy, but David wasn't one for formality. A song was playing from a radio on a shelf behind the lunch counter—an old Elvis Pressley tune, _Return to Sender_. He found a booth alongside the front window of the diner with a view of his_hog_ in the parking lot. He removed his jacket and sunglasses, placed them on the seat beside him and slid into the soft vinyl seat. He perused the menu given to him by a pleasant looking female waitress. He decided on a medium rare steak, baked potato—no butter—and salad with blue cheese dressing. He added iced water. He'd reserve consuming a Heineken, his favorite beer, for later tonight.

The waitress returned immediately with the water and salad and gently placed it on the table in front of him. She stated his steak dinner would be up in a few minutes. David smiled, thanked her, while at the same time observing her. She was doing her job efficiently. She appeared to be in her forties and had a nice smile. She had green eyes and dark brown hair with a hint of auburn highlights. He watched her as she walked away. Still smiling, he returned his attention to the salad waiting in front of him. Just as he was finishing the salad, she reappeared with his steak dinner and placed this on the table in front of him, he setting the salad plate off to the side. He thanked her again and returned to the pleasant task of consuming his meal. He found himself glancing at her from time to time during his meal as she _was_ rather attractive. She returned to check if he needed anything else, at which he replied, no, he was fine. She later appeared with her final task of presenting him with his bill. He finally finished his meal and left her a rather handsome tip. He decided to pop back in sometime—no wedding band was seen on her left hand—and strike up a conversation with her and, maybe buy her a coffee. Anyway, he left gastronomically satisfied and was on his way back to San Francisco.

The morning sky had changed from sunny and clear to a deep orange glow on the horizon, indicating that daylight was ending, as he rode the last leg of his trip. Rather than go home, he continued onto the tavern to check in with Max.

David acknowledged the patrons' greetings as he walked behind the bar to pour himself a Heineken from the tap. He took a long swig. Max inquired about his day. He told him he couldn't have picked a better day to get away, adding that he'd been served by one of the prettiest waitresses he'd seen in a while. He then seated himself and faced a flat screen TV situated against the back wall opposite the end of the bar. There were two other flat screen TVs strategically placed in the dining area for his patrons to view their favorite sporting events.

He asked Max about his day. There were no earthshattering events that occurred during David's absence. Max's day off was Monday of every week so he told David of his plans. He usually went to the race track to place a small wager on a horse he felt would win. He'd always limit himself twenty dollars towards his wagers; sometimes he'd win, sometimes he'd lose.

The TV volume was kept low. There were no sporting events being broadcast tonight. David took a sip of his beer. A reality show was on where the participants had to eat bugs and other crawly creatures to survive insurmountable challenges. The winner would receive a million dollars at the end of the season. David never understood why any human being in the civilized world would put themselves through anything like that, even if it did mean potentially receiving a million dollars. As he took another swig of beer, he saw Teddy's picture on a special local news report. He couldn't hear so he asked Max to turn up the volume. _"…..was found dead late this afternoon in his law office from an apparent heart attack. Teddy Reed, 63 years old, of Reed and Reed law offices, was a prominent figure in the law community. He is survived by his wife, Lauren, an attorney, and daughter, Kate, also an attorney. He was predeceased by his first wife…." _

David didn't hear the rest of the report. He could feel the blood leave his face. He was stunned. He finally felt his eyes blink. He lowered his gaze from the TV to his glass of beer. His breathing was shallow. He finally took a deep breath. He looked at Max with immensely sad eyes. Max returned his gaze with understanding. He asked Max if he wouldn't mind locking up at closing time. He said he would, no problem, aware of David's grief in losing an old friend. Should he prepare the bank deposit for the money taken in tonight? David said no, just put it in the safe and he'd deal with it in the morning. Max came from around the bar and walked up to David. "You gonna be alright?" he asked with a concerned look in his face. "Yeah, I just need to be by myself," David replied softly. Max placed his huge hands on David's shoulders and squeezed them as though passing on a silent message to_ take care_. David took another long gulp of his beer and walked through the kitchen, then outside to his_hog__. _He put on his helmet, sat in the seat and brought the engine to life with a loud rumble, and sped off.

He soon arrived home and went immediately to the living room. It was softly illuminated from a lamp David left on before leaving town earlier. He turned on the TV to follow the latest reports of Teddy's death. David walked to an ornately designed wooden storage cabinet where he stored his liquors and chose Scotch. He removed the bottle, poured a double in a crystal glass, and sat down on the edge of the sofa. He took a large gulp. The warm sensation did little to alleviate his feeling of sorrow. He turned his attention to the TV as the reporter continued, _"….his daughter, Kate, seen here leaving the hospital, declined an interview." _"Of course she did, you jackass, she just lost her father….damned media,"David muttered to himself as he took another sip of his drink. He listened a few more minutes, then learning nothing new, he switched the TV off.

This was a major blow, so sudden. Losing his lifelong friend Teddy would leave a hole in David's life. They shared a great deal together, growing up in the shadows of hardship and hostility. He had just talked to Teddy the night before in the tavern. They shared some great memories and a couple of drinks. David tried to remember if there was any indication of any illness with Teddy that he might have overlooked. Having decided that this was something that couldn't have been foreseen, he took another gulp of his drink. He would certainly attend the funeral, but would keep a low profile. He would say his last goodbye to his old friend with a heavy heart.

David downed another double scotch and began to feel sleepy. He got up from the sofa and walked down the hallway to his bedroom. He set the alarm on his cell phone for 7 a.m. in order to arrive early at the tavern to finish preparing the bank deposit from today's sales. He removed his clothes, threw them across a side chair positioned near the window and got into bed. He pulled the covers over him and laid still, his right arm bent, resting above his head. His thoughts were of his long-time friend, the neighborhood, the war, the years that followed. He felt his eyes stinging from unshed tears. The Scotch began to take effect. He finally fell asleep, sleeping soundly, until the next morning.

The alarm sounded waking David with a start. He'd been dreaming something about a jungle and could hear Teddy's voice. He figured it was just part of his memories of Vietnam; he occasionally dreamed of the war. He went about his usual morning routine ending up in the living room in his robe with a cup of coffee and turned on the TV. The local morning news announced that a memorial service for Teddy was scheduled for Friday morning—tomorrow—at 11 o'clock. This was sooner than David expected. An autopsy confirmed reports that his death was due to a cerebral hemorrhage. _Poor guy, he didn't know what hit him,_ David thought to himself. He learned the family chose cremation over the traditional burial. He shuttered and wondered where his ashes would be scattered.

David showered and dressed and drove his Jeep to the tavern as it was raining. He wasn't hungry for breakfast; he would wait to eat at lunchtime. He parked in the usual spot, shut the engine off, and proceeded through the back door of the tavern. When he got to the bar, Max was unloading a box filled with bottles of vodka. There was a lot to do today to get ready for the weekend. David knew he had to temporarily dismiss his solemn mood and perform the tasks at hand.

As was usual for the tavern, it was a busy day during lunch and dinner, but things slowed down later in the evening as there were no football games on TV. The last patron left around 9:30 p.m. David was glad for the quiet. He fixed himself and Max some coffee to drink before closing up at 11 p.m. They watched the evening news at 10 o'clock. The station repeated a piece about Teddy's life that had been shown during an earlier broadcast. Max shut off the TV.

"Thanks, Max. I'm tired of the reports about Teddy's death." David said in appreciation.

"I kinda got that idea," Max said wryly. "It'll be over tomorrow, at least as far as the service is concerned."

"Yeah. It won't be easy, but I've gotta say goodbye. I'll be here before the service and will come back afterwards."

"Why don't you take the morning off. I can manage." Max said confidently.

"I have no doubt that you can handle things here, but I've got to keep busy," David replied.

"Understood." was Max's reply.

They talked companionably while going about their tasks; Max restocked the liquor shelves and David prepared the night deposit. They finished closing and locked up, leaving around 11:30 p.m., through the back door as usual. They parted company and went their separate ways.

Friday morning arrived. The weather was overcast and cool with an occasional light shower. David chose his black wool suit, grey dress shirt, black silk tie, and black dress shoes to wear for the solemn occasion. The funeral service would be held at Old Saint Mary's Cathedral, a beautiful historic landmark near Chinatown. He arrived early and parked the Jeepa few blocks down and around the corner from the cathedral to avoid the heavy traffic following the service. The local media had camped outside near the cathedral interviewing anyone to add to the solemnity of the occasion. He managed to avoid this intrusion by blending in with a dozen or so other mourners, also avoiding the media, going into the cathedral. He entered the imposing vestibule and found a seat within the nave at the very end of the last row. He sat reminiscing while the mourners filed in and took their seats. It appeared that there were several hundred people in attendance once the funeral service began.

He endured the service and eulogies along with the muffled sounds of grief. There were eulogies from the mayor, fellow attorneys, and from someone he didn't expect, Teddy's daughter, Kate. She managed to perform her eulogy, lovingly sprinkled with humor, to her beloved father with strength and courage. He admired that, not knowing if that would be something he could ever do. The funeral service finally came to an end. As the priest and altar boys turned from the altar to begin their procession down the center aisle, David quickly and discretely walked out through the tall, imposing doorway, back to his vehicle, started the engine and drove away.

It was nearly 3 o'clock in the afternoon when David arrived at the tavern. He wanted a drink, but decided against it. He needed to talk to Max. He parked the Jeep in the same space at the rear of the tavern, cut the engine, and sat for a few moments removing his tie and loosening the top button of his shirt. He got out of the Jeep, locked it, and proceeded into the tavern through the kitchen to the bar. Max was serving a customer. He heard the kitchen door open and turned. He motioned for David to come have a seat at the bar.

"The usual?" Max asked.

"No, not now," David replied. "Just give me a Coke. I need to talk to you as soon as you're free."

"I'm free now. Want to go into the office?" Max asked.

"Yeah. Get Mike in here to man the bar for a few minutes." David said as he took his Coke and walked toward the office.

Mike was a newly-hired assistant bartender. He was in his early thirties and had a lot of experience bartending and cooking, including a stint at a club on the Caribbean island of St. Croix. His last job was with a five-star hotel restaurant and bar in the city. He'd been there for about three years and decided he wanted a different work environment, a more casual atmosphere. He'd come to the tavern a few times and liked the ambiance. He initiated a conversation with David a few months ago asking David if he needed extra help in the kitchen or with bartending. At the time David said no, but after talking with Max, he began to contemplate the possibility of an extra pair of helping hands.

David hired Mike two months ago and he was working out well. He split his time between assisting the head chef in the kitchen and assisting Max at the bar. He showed up for work on time and was genuinely kind and liked the clientele, and they liked him.

"Mike, man the bar for a few minutes, will ya?" Max asked as he stood at the kitchen door. "David and I'll be back in a few minutes."

"Sure, Big Max. I'll take it from here." Mike replied with self-assurance.

Max and David entered the office, a small and neat room with a mahogany desk flanked by a black leather chair. David sat in the chair behind the desk; Max shut the door and sat down in the black chair.

"Now, what's this all about?" Max asked with genuine concern as he leaned forward with his forearms resting on his thighs with his hands clasped.

"Big Max, I'm the last one to go around whining about things, but Teddy's sudden death has had an effect on me," David said, leaning back in his chair, his eyes full of despair.

"I know, bro. You and Teddy were tight, had a lot of shared life experiences. But, in time, your grief will pass." Max said trying to sound optimistic.

"I hear you, but, right now…." David ran his hand through his hair. "Max, I need to get away for a while—a week or two. I'm thinking of going to Colorado, rent a mountain cottage, do some hiking."

"Are you going to travel on your motorcycle?" Max asked, having never owned a motorcycle or even been on one. But boats and ships… that's another story.

"Naw. I'll drive the Jeep. There's usually snow in the higher elevations. The Jeep has four-wheel drive, so will be safer. It's been a while since I've been to Colorado. Do you think Mike will be able to take on added responsibilities while I'm gone?

"Yeah, I think he could handle it." Max replied with slight hesitation.

"Alright now," David replied sensing Max's uneasiness. "I know he's not as good as you or I. But I feel he's up to the task. Besides, if I don't get away for a while, I'm gonna lose it." David said with conviction as he rested his elbows on the desk and rubbing his face with both hands.

"OK. It's just gonna be strange not having you around here for two weeks. Come to think about it, I don't believe you've ever taken a vacation. Nor I for that matter."

"I know. I always had it in the back of my mind to take a vacation when the business was up and running. But, hell, it's been more than up and running. It's taken off. It's time for a break. As sad as it sounds, Teddy's death made me realize that. He'd been working very long hours and look at him now! When I get back, you're going to go away for two weeks too!" David said emphatically.

"OK, bro." Max said, scratching his head. "I don't know where I'll go, but I'll give it some thought."

"You do that. Would you mind talking to Mike about manning the bar while I'm gone? Also, what do you think about giving him a temporary bonus?"

"I think it would be a good incentive. I'll be glad to talk with him," Max replied. "David, I hope there won't be a lot of changes around here. I'm settled in our routine and I like it."

"Changes? Naw, the only change around here is I'm going to make sure you and I take more vacation time, at least once a year. We've worked long and hard to make this tavern a success. It's time that it worked for us. I'll go get Mike."

"OK, good," Max replied with relief.

Soon after, a knock was heard at the door. Max opened it to find Mike on the other side.

"Mike, come in and have a seat." he said as he closed the door.

"Thanks, Big Max. What did you want to talk to me about?" Mike asked, with some trepidation.

"David's going away for a couple of weeks. Let's just say he's taking some time off. We want you to be in charge of the bar. I'm going to have enough to do taking charge of the whole business while he's gone. Your hours will be increased, only temporarily, and you will only have one day off for each week that David's gone. Do you think you're up to the challenge?"

"Yes, sir. I won't let you down." Mike said with excited eyes.

"Just don't get too comfortable with the temporary assignment. When David gets back, things will return as they are now." Max said, not wanting Mike to expect anything more.

"Yes, sir. I understand. I assume I'll be told what my duties will be?" Mike asked with genuine interest.

"Yes, I'll handle that. David won't be leaving until Sunday, so there's plenty of time between now and then to get you oriented. Oh, and did I mention, David and I are going to give you a bonus during this time period?" Max added.

"Thank you, sir. Again, I, I won't let you down. Thank you for your confidence!" Mike replied happily.

"You're welcome. Now, get back to work. We'll talk later."

"Yes, sir." Mike got up from his seat, shook Max's hand appreciably then opened the door and quietly closed it behind him.

David was behind the bar talking companionably with a customer. He poured him a beer and placed it on the bar in front of him. The conversation waned down as the customer paid David and returned to his table where friends were waiting. _Changes are underfoot, but it's time_, David thought to himself. He began thinking about Colorado, but dismissed that for later. There was much to do here now instead. Max walked out of the office and caught David's eye and gave him a thumbs-up sign indicating that all was well with Mike. David gave a quick nod and proceeded to pour a beer for another customer.

The rest of the afternoon and evening was spent talking to the regulars and making sure their meal orders were correct. It was a busy day. The main topic of conversation among the patrons was the sudden death of Teddy Reed and his memorial service. There were expressed opinions about the media hounding the mourners as they entered the cathedral, about how Teddy was a relatively young man to have died this way, etc., etc. David grew tired of the conversations, but managed to tolerate them.

The kitchen closed for dinner at 10 p.m. which resulted in the crowd thinning out somewhat. There were still patrons sitting at several of the tables talking companionably amongst themselves. The bar orders had slowed down, much to David's satisfaction. He rarely had any problems with his customers; they just enjoyed being out for a while to soften the hardness of their busy and demanding lives.

Closing time came and went. Mike left about an hour before. David sent him home early reminding him it would be the last night for two weeks before he'd be able to leave early again. He smiled, thanked David, and was on his way. Max and David tallied the receipts and the day's take and decided on doing the night deposit in the morning as there had been of a string of robberies of other businesses during the past week. The police were on the case, beefing up patrols around local businesses and banks in the vicinity.

Max locked the front door, turned off all but the lights above the bar. He and David left, as usual, through the kitchen and the back door to the brightly lit parking lot. Max locked the back door and said goodnight. David paused and said with a smile, "Big Max, thanks for listening. You're a good buddy."

Max replied with a grunt, and said, "No thanks needed. You're a good friend, too, David. You'll get through this sad time alright. I'm available anytime you wanna talk."

"Thanks. Have a good night. I'll see you in the morning."

"David, take a few extra hours to yourself in the morning if you need to. You've had a grueling day." Max said sympathetically.

"I'll be alright." David said with optimism. "I know I'll fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow."

"OK. But think about it?" Max reiterated.

"I will. Goodnight."

Max got into his pickup truck, started the engine, and as he drove off, tooted the horn in farewell.

David got into his Jeep, started the engine and drove off. Yes, it had been a grueling day, but tomorrow was sure to be better.

David decided to take Max's advice and sleep in. He got up around 9 a.m. showered and dressed. He proceeded to the kitchen to fix a breakfast of scrambled eggs, toast, and orange juice. He retrieved the newspaper from the porch—the paper boy finally aimed it right this time instead of into the bushes in front of his townhouse. He went back inside closing the door behind him and went into the kitchen to make coffee to drink while he read the paper. He enjoyed this slower pace this morning. The coffee was finally ready. David poured some into a mug, added sugar and sat down at the kitchen table to read the paper. Nothing was of interest to him so he decided to leave for the tavern. He locked up, got into the Jeep, and headed to work.

It was Saturday and David was mentally prepared for the large crowd that usually came in for lunch. There were families and women with their friends carrying shopping bags containing their purchases of the morning. There would be college football games on TV all day. In fact, UCLA was playing today, which meant there would be a large college crowd.

It was almost noon and the crowd was growing, as was expected. Max looked to have everything under control. Mike saw David come in and gave him a big smile. He was helping to take orders for lunch at one of the tables (one waitress didn't show up). David smiled back. Max called out to David asking, "What'll it be?" David decided on a Heineken. He took a swig and looked out over the crowd. Yes, his friend was gone, but life goes on. He assumed the motions of running the tavern—helping with meal orders, drink orders, enjoying the UCLA game which was the only one the patrons wanted to see. There was cheering and laughter and good-hearted ribbing. After the UCLA game was over and won, most of the college crowd left. The others stayed, ostensibly, for the rest of the afternoon into the early evening to watch more football.

It was already 11 o'clock in the evening, closing time, and the crowd had gone home. The kitchen had been closed since 10 p.m. and the cooks had finished their task of cleaning the kitchen. Mike helped Max clean the bar area. David was in the office handling the receipts and preparing the deposit to done in the morning. _In the morning_….David felt relief from those three words. He would be on his way to Colorado. He was looking forward to the drive, the scenery, the solitude.

He finished the banking task and put the money, deposit slips and receipts into the safe in his office. He walked out to the bar where Mike was restocking the liquor shelves and Max was cleaning the beer tap lines, a task that was done every Wednesday and Saturday without fail.

"Well there's the soon-to-be man of leisure," Max said with a smile. Mike looked at David and gave a slight smile, not wanting to look as if he was overjoyed at David's leaving tomorrow.

"Yeah, well, I don't want to come back here and find the place fallen apart, you guys," David said jokingly. "Seriously, I am looking forward to this."

"What time are you leaving tomorrow?" Mike inquired as he continued to restock the liquor.

"I plan to get out of the city by 7 a.m. I've got most of my stuff packed; jeans, shirts, raingear, the usual stuff."

"Where are you staying in Colorado?" Max asked.

"I'm going to a small town named Craig. I've rented a mountain cottage with plenty of privacy and quiet. I'll probably do some hiking. I'm looking forward to not shaving my face for two weeks. I may return looking like a descendant of Big Foot!" Everyone erupted into laughter. _God, it felt good to laugh!_ David thought to himself.

With all the tasks completed, Mike was sent home; Max and David followed soon after, locking up for the night. When David arrived home he walked through to his bedroom. He switched the ceiling light on. His duffle bag was sitting half empty on a chair near the window. He added a few more clothing items. Satisfied that enough was packed, he delayed packing toiletries until the morning. He undressed, turned out the light and got into bed. Within a few minutes, he was sound asleep.

David woke up around 7 a.m., a little later than he'd planned. He showered, got dressed, and finished packing. He took the duffle bag into the kitchen and ate some cereal, drank orange juice, and put some coffee into a thermos to bring along. He found himself thinking of Teddy and the last time he saw him. He found it was going to take a while to get over his death, if he ever did.

He finished breakfast, cleaned the few dishes he used and proceeded out the door to the garage, locked it and walked to the Jeep. He pushed a button on the remote to raise the garage door. He tossed the duffle bag into the back seat. He put the key in the ignition and started the engine. He slowly backed out of the garage, activated the remote once again, closing the garage door. He backed out of the driveway onto the street. He sped off quickly as though to catch up with the anticipated new memories that lay ahead. He would leave his sorrow behind. San Francisco could do with it as she pleased.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

David Smith arrived at his cabin near Craig, Colorado early in the afternoon on Monday, having split the thousand-mile-plus trip by staying overnight in a hotel near Salt Lake City, Utah. He got out of the Jeep to take in the scenery. The cabin was small and made of logs. He unlocked the front door and walked in. Ahead was a narrow hall leading to two rooms on the right. Floor rugs were laid the length of the hallway. To his left was the entrance to a small rustic sitting area, sparsely furnished, but welcoming. A stone fireplace was supplied with firewood and kindling wood, ready to be lit at the whim of the occupant. Two overstuffed chairs, placed on an area rug nearly the size of the room, faced the fireplace. A table with a lamp and radio—the only evident means of entertainment—was situated beneath the large front window. The rustic wooden mantle displayed two oil lamps for use in the event of a loss of electrical power. A thermostat was found on the inside wall of the room indicating the availability of central heating.

He walked through to the kitchen to find a small four-burner gas stove with oven and small refrigerator. A two chaired dinette set filled the small space of the room. The kitchen cabinets contained the necessary cookware, plates, cups, etc. The scenery displayed from the window above the single steel sink was a peaceful scene of a forest of trees, some of which had lost much of their foliage. Snow-capped mountains rose in the distance. There was a door that led outside to a porch which, at one end, held an ample supply of firewood and at the other end, two rocking chairs that faced the direction where the sun sets in the evening. They seemed to beckon, _Have a seat…sit a while_. Back inside and directly across the hall from the kitchen was a small bathroom with a sink, commode and shower. The bedroom was down the hall from the bathroom toward the front of the cottage. He walked back into the sitting room, opened the damper, and lit the logs to take the chill out of the room.

He walked back outside to the Jeep to retrieve his luggage and groceries. After completing the task of unloading the groceries and unpacking, David went outside to explore his surroundings. There were other cabins located in the vicinity, but were distanced to provide quiet and privacy. He found a natural trail that led through the forest. The late afternoon sun shone through the trees like streaks of transparent light yellow ribbons. David found himself relaxing as he walked. A bubbling brook could be heard nearby. Soon the temperature began to drop and the sun was setting, so he turned around for his walk back to the cabin.

The cabin was warm and welcoming. After a dinner of a rib eye steak and baked potato, he walked to the sitting room and turned on the radio. He sat in one of the chairs facing the fireplace, stretched his long legs, and crossed them at the ankles. He took a sip of Heineken. A song from CCR was playing which brought back some memories. He didn't always listen to oldies; he favored much of the music that was out now. He had brought his guitar with him to play during his stay. It was a Martin that he'd purchased in the late 70s. This was his favorite hobby, a salvation for him, especially during the difficult times of his life. He got out of the chair, turned the radio off, and removed his guitar from the case that was leaning against the wall next to the fireplace. He sat back down and began to play. The hours passed quickly as he played some old favorites as well as some new tunes. Before he knew it, it was way past midnight. He reluctantly placed his guitar gently into its case and zipped it closed. The first day of his vacation was good. Tomorrow would be even better.

Kate arrived back to her office after a long and frustrating day as mediator in a very difficult case. She found it very challenging having to mediate between grown adults who resisted common sense when dealing with their differences. When she arrived at her desk, she found an envelope with a note from Leo; _This arrived after lunch by courier_. _Hope there's good news._ It was from someone named David Smith with a letter and check enclosed. Puzzled, she opened the letter and read its contents.

_Dear Kate:_

_This is a difficult letter for me to write, but it is now the right time to tell you something that has been kept from you all these years. _

_As you are probably aware of by now, I took the fall for Teddy and was charged with embezzlement and spent 12 years in prison. It wasn't a particularly easy decision to make, but I had my reasons. Maybe you'll understand that after you've read this letter. However, my secret doesn't end there._

_Teddy, your mom, and I spent a lot of time together, sometimes I'd have a date, sometimes not. Teddy and I had been friends for many years. We grew up in the same neighborhood and served in the military during the Vietnam War. Anyway, that's not important. _

_It was early in Teddy's law career. He worked hard and long to make a name for himself. Much of his time was spent schmoozing with politicians and other powerful characters that didn't leave much time for he and your mom. They had been engaged to be married for about six months. I thought your mom was happy. _

_Teddy took a case that required him to be out of town for a couple of weeks. By this time, Teddy's absence in your mom's life was very evident. It was during that time that my life changed._

_I want you to know that your mom was in no way responsible for what happened. I take full responsibility. This may sound cheesy, but it was a classic case of lonely man and woman finding comfort in each other's arms. I'd been in love with your mom from the moment I met her. I kept my feelings to myself for the first two years that I knew her, but later found I could no longer do that. _

_It was during that two week period that I called your mom to invite her to dinner. It was my intention to take her out as a friend, but it ended by us becoming lovers. Over the course of that two week span, we'd spent a lot of time together despite our demanding careers. We were torn between the friendship we shared and the new love that we discovered for each other. Your mom suffered the most from the guilt over what had happened and how, or if, was she going to tell Teddy, etc. _

_It was a couple of days before Teddy was expected to return. Your mom broke it off with me despite my desire for her to be mine. She had a strong moral character, which I respected, but at the same time couldn't completely accept. It was painful to say the least. When Teddy returned, life for her returned to the way it was before. To my knowledge, she didn't reveal anything about our affair. _

_I found out two months later, a month before Teddy and your mom's wedding, that she was pregnant. He assumed he was the father._

_This brings me to this: __ I__ am your father, Kate. Your mother had her own powerful friends that enabled her to have a paternity test done, with my participation, to verify your parentage. (I have a copy of that test.) With that verification came my heartbreaking agreement with your mom that I bow out of her life with no contact with you. Teddy had the beginnings of what was promising to be a very successful and powerful career which would have been damaged if this information was revealed, not to mention the impact it would have had on your mother's life. My friendship with Teddy was altered, though not entirely broken. It was fortunate for all that his career took front seat to our friendship, making it easier for me to conceal my secret._

_I harbor a lot of guilt at not having been involved in your life. Your mom, however, was considerate in discreetly sending me photos of you growing up while she was alive. When she died, a part of me died with her. _

_The check enclosed is what Teddy willed to me. I don't want the money—it truly belongs to you. Do what you will with it. However, I do have a warning for you. Watch out for Lauren. She seems more concerned with owning all of Reed and Reed. I suspect she'll find some way to get you out of the picture. It's more of a gut feeling than fact._

_Kate, I am truly sorry for my actions as it relates to you. You deserve so much better. From all accounts, Teddy was a good father to you. I honestly believe you would not be where you are today had things been different. _

_I'm not asking for your forgiveness—hell, I'm having trouble forgiving myself—nor do I expect you to feel any empathy towards me. All I ask is that you not think any less of your mother. She was truly a remarkable woman._

_David Smith _

Kate's eyes welled up in tears. She was filled with disbelief, betrayal, abandonment, anger—all the disabling emotions at having learned this about herself. She couldn't believe that this information had been kept from her all this time. She felt abandoned, however absurd that sounds, by David Smith. But the anger! She was angry at Teddy, her mom, David Smith—anybody and everybody that she had ever known. Her world was crumbling beneath her. She just couldn't handle this onset of emotion. "I'll callJustin",she said to herself, but just as quickly recanted with, "NO! I've got to handle this on my own, at least for the time being."

She pulled herself together as best she could and left the office to go home to her small yacht. There she felt comfort, away from life's troubles. The gentle rocking of water lapping against the hull of her boat lulled her to sleep many nights when she was distressed about something. It felt much like being rocked in her mother's arms.

She walked through the entrance into the yacht's cabin_. _She still felt numb. She saw the blinking light on her answering machine. She pressed _Play_ to listen to her messages. There were only two, both from Justin wanting to meet for dinner. She deleted both messages. She didn't want to be bothered tonight. She wanted to be alone. Her planned excuse would be that it had been a rough day, as it had been, and that she fell asleep early.

She wasn't hungry. Her appetite had been spoiled by Smith's letter. She poured herself a drink—a double Scotch. She went to her bedroom, her drink in one hand and Smith's letter in the other. She sat on the side of her bed and removed her shoes. She then leaned back against the propped pillows and stretched out. She took several gulps of her drink as she re-read the letter, this time more attentively. Again, her eyes welled with tears. The stresses of the day topped off with the new revelations of her life were met by gulping sobs and crocodile tears. Her eyes were swollen and red. She was exhausted. Without changing clothes, Kate turned off the light, crawled beneath the comforter, and fell asleep.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Leo arrived at the office early to find Kate already at her desk. She looked haggard and tired, though immaculately dressed. He arrived light hearted as Lauren wasn't going to be in today. She had a case out of town and wasn't expected to return for a couple of days.

Leo tapped on the slightly opened door leading to Kate's office. She looked up and motioned for him to come in. She asked him to close the door.

"Kate! Good morning!" Leo said in his usual enthusiastic manner.

"What's so good about it?" Kate replied apathetically. Her elbows were on the desk with her chin resting in the palms of her hands. Leo sensed something was wrong, but didn't want to pry.

"Well, one good thing is," he said with raised eyebrows as he leaned toward Kate while looking around to see if anyone else was in earshot, "the battleax is gone for the day. I think we'll all be able to breathe easier." He waited for Kate's response.

"Leo, have you ever felt that something bad was about to happen?" She took a sip of orange juice that she bought from the coffee shop across the street earlier.

"Yeah, but it usually passes. My experience has been that feelings like that are usually connected to fatigue or stress." Leo was puzzled.

"That's been my feeling, too. But, brother, I got kicked in the gut yesterday."

"What! Are you alright? Did you call the police?" Leo asked urgently as he raced around to her side of her desk. "Wait until I get my hands…"

"No, no, Leo. I'm fine," Kate replied with a nervous laugh, shaking her head, and waving off his concern. "No. I meant that to be metaphorical," Kate said with a slight smile and reassurance.

"What? Please tell me what's going on?" Leo's interest was piqued and he wanted answers now. He liked Kate and was protective of her, even though she was his boss. He had to sit down.

"I won't go into details right now, but my life has been changed forever because of a single letter."

"A letter? From whom?" Leo could feel his heart racing.

"It was in the envelope you left on my desk yesterday. It's from someone who knew my dad, someone I don't even know." She looked up at Leo, her brown eyes sad and tired.

"Kate, is there anything I can do?" Leo asked as he leaned forward in his chair, his forearms resting on his thighs.

"The person who wrote the letter grew up with my dad and there was information in it that was unbelievable."

Leo was still puzzled, but knowing the chain of command, he was reluctant to press her any further. Kate looked toward the window of her office. Tears were glistening in her eyes.

"I don't know what to say, except that my offer to help you in any way I can still stands. Kate, we have a strong sense of trust between us and I won't do anything to betray that trust." He restrained himself from being too sympathetic. Kate was a strong woman and he had great respect for her. She was his role model. He hoped to be as good a lawyer as she. He'd seen her in action. She possesses a great deal of common sense and sensitivity, particularly in her position as mediator.

"I need to rely on someone and you came to mind. Leo, this information will change my life forever, if it's revealed. I don't know what to do with it yet. I've got a lot of thinking and a lot of research to do. I just don't know where to start."

"My experience has been that the best place to start is at the beginning," Leo said wryly.

Kate managed a slight smile. "You're right. But right now," Kate took a deep breath, "we have a lot to do today and we might as well get on with it."

"I could rearrange your schedule for a week or so." Leo offered.

"No. I want things to remain as they are. Lauren will get suspicious and cause me more grief that I can handle right now. I'll just have to muster-up and get through this. There _is_ one thing that I would like to ask you." Kate stood up and crossed her arms in front of her more as a position for comfort rather than a sign of cautiousness.

"Anything, Kate. You know that," Leo replied as he rose out of his chair out of respect for her.

"I may need some help with checking the background on this person who wrote me the letter. Would you be willing to help me with this after hours? I know you're busy with school and such. I'll pay you for your time. I want to do this on the weekends away from work so Lauren won't become suspicious of anything."

"Consider it done. Let me know when you want to get started," Leo said with conviction.

"Thanks. I'd like to get started this Saturday, if that's good for you. I think the sooner I start, the sooner I can unravel all that's happened and get on with my life."

"Saturday is good. Have you talked to Justin about this?" Leo hoped that she hadn't.

"No. I've decided I'm not going to him about this. I've been thinking for a while about whether he fits into my life or not. I've decided I'm done with him. There's no use trying any longer to make a go of a marriage that ended long ago. I'm meeting him for dinner tonight to tell him that I'll agree to the divorce. There are so many hurdles that have popped up in my life lately. I intend on knocking them down one-by-one until I see a clear road ahead of me. There's no use in hanging onto something that's in the way of my being happy."

Leo was glad to hear this from Kate. He'd long felt that she needed to set herself free, but knew that she would come to her senses in time. The loss of her dad, the breakup of her marriage, and now this mysterious letter has been a lot for her to handle. He hoped she would have the mettle to get through this tough time in her life.

"I'll be honest Kate. I'm glad to hear you say that. I hope I'm not out of line for voicing my opinion."

"Not at all, Leo. I consider you a friend and confidant, "Kate said with a slight smile. "O.K. now, let's get our day started. There's a lot to do.

David Smith got an early start this morning for his hike. He'd have to drive about ten miles to reach the mountain trail. He packed a backpack of high energy foods, a few bottles of water, and a first aid kit. He planned on hiking for a couple of hours, then return to his cabin for a late breakfast.

The weather was clear and cold, the air crisp and clean. The high temperature for the day was going to only reach 38°F which meant it would be colder at the higher elevations. He arrived at the hiking trail parking lot about an hour after sunrise. Other vehicles were parked indicating that other hikers were already on the trail. He began walking, taking it slowly at first to give the muscles in his body a chance to warm up, even though he stretched before leaving the cabin. The trail was smooth, requiring little effort as he gradually ascended. David was in pretty good shape; he liked to take a run a few times a week before work. He wasn't a fanatic about exercise, but liked how well he felt afterwards.

David had been hiking about an hour and a half when he noticed someone ahead of him sitting alone on a small bench made from tree logs. It was a woman. He saw that she was rubbing the area of her left ankle. He walked up to her and asked if she was alright. Her eyes were squinting against the bright sunlight as she looked up. Her hair was dark brown with auburn highlights and was worn off her neck in a ponytail with a few strands of loose hair about her face. She replied that she was fine, but she had sprained her left ankle as she descended down the hill.

"I have an instant ice pack in my backpack. You're going to need it from the looks of your ankle." As he said this, David noticed she had green eyes. Her dark green parka enhanced the color in her eyes. She also looked familiar. Then he remembered—she was the waitress from the café where he had eaten lunch at about a week ago on his day trip.

"Thanks. I didn't think to bring any first aid." She said in a self-deprecating manner. She furrowed her eyebrows. "You look familiar to me. I've seen you somewhere before, and that's not meant to be a pick-up line by the way," she said wryly.

"I recognize you, too. I ate lunch at a café on Highway 101 about a week or so ago. I rode in on my Harley motorcycle, but you probably see a lot of those. That area is very popular with bikers."

"I remember you now. You left me a rather large tip. It was very much appreciated," Veronica said with genuine kindness.

"My name is David Smith," he said smiling as he extended his right hand to shake hers.

"It's nice to meet you, David Smith. My name is Veronica Myers." She shook his hand. His hand was much larger than hers. He had a gentle grip.

"Well, Veronica," David said as he reached into his backpack. "Here's the instant cold pack for your ankle," he said as he squeezed and shook the packet to activate it. "Do you have another pair of socks?"

"No. Why?" she asked puzzled.

"Well, another sock pulled over the one already on your foot would make a support vessel for the ice pack when it's placed in the tube part of the second sock."

"You sound experienced in this kind of thing," she said as she took the ice pack from David.

"I may have an extra pair of socks," David said as he rummaged through his pack. "Here's one. It's clean by the way," he said jokingly.

"I don't think it would be a good idea to remove my foot out of the boot just yet. The swelling may get worse," she said concerned.

"Good thinking. If you don't mind, I'll loosen the first few grommets on your boot to allow for the ice pack to be placed as close to your ankle as possible, then tie the shoelaces to secure it," he said reassuringly. "You really shouldn't continue your hike, but you obviously already know that."

"I began hiking just after sunrise and was on my way back down when I turned my ankle just there," she said pointing to an uneven area on the trail.

"Oh. Well, I'll be glad to walk with you back to your car." David said as he applied the ice pack and retied the boot. He hoped she would say yes.

"But this will take you away from your hike," she said as she began to rise from the bench. "It's really not necessary." She groaned from the pain in her ankle and immediately sat down. She looked up at David and said, "I guess I do need some help."

"Ok, then." he said as he picked up his backpack. "Lean on me as you get up from the bench. Try not to put too much weight on that ankle. I'll put my arm around your waist to stabilize you as we walk. I promise I won't get fresh." They both laughed. They began their slow descent, chatting a little along the way.

When they finally arrived at the entrance of the trail and the parking lot, David asked, ""Why don't I carry you to your car? I would have offered before we started walking, but the trail was a little steep and I was afraid we'd wind up tumbling downhill."

Veronica forced a smile. "Thanks, but my SUV is just ahead of us. It's the silver one."

"Oh. Ok. Will you be able to drive?" he asked as they continued gingerly to the SUV.

"I think so," she said as she limped to the driver side. "When I get back to my cabin I'll soak my ankle, and then wrap it." Veronica winced as she unlocked the door.

"If you need any help when you get back to your cabin, I'm a pretty good medical attendant," he said as he held the door open for her as she eased into the driver seat.

"You're kind, but I think I can handle it. I've got some ibuprofen at the cabin and some ice. I should be fine."

"Well, if you need anything this is my cell number," David said as he jotted down the number on a piece of paper he had in his backpack. "No obligation," he said as he handed her the paper. He hoped she would call later.

"Thanks." She took the piece of paper and put it into a pocket of her jacket. She put the key into the ignition and started the engine.

"Well, take care, Veronica. Before you go, you mentioned you were staying in a cabin. I'm also staying in one located in a recreation area called Deer Valley. It's about ten miles from here at the foot of the mountain."

"Really? Mine's not far from here either. Look, thanks again for your help. I'll call you if I need anything." She smiled as she closed the door, and then drove away. She was in pain and wanted to get back to her cabin.

"Hmm," David said, a bit perplexed, as he watched her drive away. "One thing's for sure, she ain't easy," he muttered to himself. He walked to his Jeep and tossed his backpack onto the front seat. He started the engine and drove off.

Veronica finally arrived at her rental log cabin after stopping at a local store to purchase a small basin, some soaking salts, and a couple of cold packs for her ankle. She also found a handcrafted walking stick carved by a local artisan, and so included that in her purchase. She figured that not only would it serve as a walking aide for now, but it would also be a nice souvenir of her trip. Supported by her new walking stick, she hobbled from her SUV, up the two steps leading to the front porch, and opened the door. She closed it behind her and proceeded to the thermostat located on the wall of the small entrance hallway to turn up the heat, as the temperature was dropping outside. Her cabin was similar to David's in size and design. She limped to the kitchen to fill the small basin with warm water. She added a handful of salts, swishing the water with her hand. She limped back to the small living room, and then set the basin on the floor in front of the sofa and placed her bare foot into it. The warm water was soothing to her ankle. As she sat, she began reminiscing about this morning's encounter with David Smith. She recalled how she had been struck by his kind demeanor when he had lunch at her café. She assumed he wasn't aware that she _owned_ the café. It just happened that the day he came in for lunch Veronica was covering a shift for a waitress who had left her employ the day before without giving notice.

Veronica was thinking how it would be nice to have a meal with this seemingly decent guy while on her vacation, but her heart was still recovering from her last relationship. It was a physically abusive one, and fortunately for her, with the support of her family and her own good sense, she got out of it before more serious harm came to her. The day before her court date a year ago her ex-boyfriend was killed in a single-car collision. The investigation into the cause of the accident found that he'd passed out from heavy drinking. His vehicle crossed the center line of the highway, crashed into a grove of trees at a high rate of speed, and then caught fire. Kismet apparently had other plans for her.

She dried her foot and, following the directions on the package, wrapped her ankle with an ace bandage and put on a clean sock to keep her foot warm. After emptying the basin into the bathroom sink, she limped to the kitchen and managed to cook a late breakfast as she realized she was hungry. After eating and taking two ibuprofen tablets, she propped herself up with pillows that were on the sofa and elevated her injured ankle on two pillows from her bed. As she lay on the sofa, she pushed the _ON _button of the remote control to switch on the small TV that sat on a small wooden table across from her to check the local weather. A winter storm warning had been issued. A storm was approaching from the west and was forecasted to potentially bring a significant amount of snowfall to the area. She became concerned for her safety as she obviously couldn't begin emergency preparations on her own for the impending storm. She remembered David's offer to help her while she was recovering from her ankle injury. However, she knew more help would be needed than just for her ankle. Her survival could be at stake.

David decided to eat a late breakfast at a nearby restaurant on his way back to his cabin as the cool, crisp air of this morning whetted his appetite. As he consumed his meal, his thoughts were of Veronica. He was surprised when he saw her on the trail. He wanted to see her again and soon. He thought about cooking her dinner and just spend some time with her. When he returned to his cabin, he turned on the radio to listen to some music. The station interrupted the program to inform the listeners of a winter storm heading in their direction that could potentially dump a significant amount of snow overnight and bring subzero temperatures. It could mean a loss of electrical power and frozen water pipes. He went into an emergency mode to make preparations for the impending storm and its forecasted dangers. He walked out to the back porch and began bringing firewood inside for the fireplace. As he was finishing this task, he looked out in the distance from the porch and saw an SUV the same color as Veronica's. He wondered if that was the same cabin where she was staying. He made a mental note to drive over to make sure she had what she needed when the storm hit. He carried in the last of the firewood that he felt he'd need for a couple of days and started a fire in the fireplace. He decided to cook the meat being stored in the freezer compartment of the small refrigerator in case there was a power outage. While the meat was cooking, David began to draw up water in pots and any other large containers. As he continued his preparations, his cell phone rang. It was Veronica.

"Hello, David Smith here," he said, not recognizing the caller's number.

"David? It's Veronica Myers. We met this morning on the trail."

"Of course, Veronica. How's your ankle?" David asked with genuine concern.

"It's ok. I've wrapped it and have it propped up on some pillows to keep the swelling down. Listen, the reason I'm calling you is about the snowstorm that is headed our way."

"Yep, I just heard the report on the radio. I've been bringing in firewood and filling pots and other large containers with water."

"Sounds like you've been busy. I checked the weather channel just now and found I had missed the worst part of an earlier report. It sounds like it's going to be a bad one. The reason I'm calling is I'm unable to prepare for the storm because of my ankle and I wondered if you wouldn't mind helping me with bringing in firewood and all that." It wasn't easy for her to ask for help.

"Of course I don't mind. I'll be happy to help you." David was pleasantly surprised. "Where is your cabin located?"

"I'm in the same rec area as you. My cabin number is 5."

"Then we're neighbors! Mine is 8." Veronica confirmed his hunch that she was, indeed, close by.

"Oh. Ok. Then you won't have far to come."

"I have a suggestion that's not meant to be suggestive." David was still in his emergency prep mode.

"Yes?" Veronica replied with hesitation.

"Well, since you're ankle is injured and you're unable to get around, wouldn't it make sense for you to stay with me at my cabin. I mean, if you were to need help, it might be very difficult to get to you. Being with someone could make it easier for you… I mean… oh damn…" David didn't know what he was saying, just hoping that she wasn't going to take his offer the wrong way.

Veronica was smiling as she heard stammering in David's voice. She was touched by his concern for her safety.

"Veronica, what I am trying to say is it would be better for you to stay with me at my cabin and rest your ankle. You won't have to get up and down to do cooking, replacing firewood in the fireplace if there's a power outage, and considering how bad the weather forecast is… uh, I think you get my drift. If you stay with me, you could be a lady of leisure. I could do those things and keep you company." David hoped this attempt at clarifying his intent was better understood.

"David, thank you for your concern. I am worried about this storm. I can be rather stubborn in accepting any offers of help because of my independent nature, but in the face of reason, I'll accept your offer. I just want to be sure you don't mind having to attend to me." Veronica was still emotionally wounded by the actions of her now-dead, ex-boyfriend that made her feel as though she were an inconvenience to him and who treated her with indifference rather than as a loving partner.

"I wouldn't have mentioned it if I didn't want to help," David said softly. "Listen, I'll be over in about fifteen or twenty minutes, if that's ok. I'll bring my Jeep and help you pack a few things and we'll pool whatever food we have and…"

Veronica interrupted. "David?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you for your help. I really appreciate it."

"You're very welcome. So, I'll see you later." David said smiling. He liked this woman and was going to make sure that he earned her trust.

"Ok. I'll see you later." Veronica ended the phone call. She took a deep breath realizing that for the next couple of days or so she'd be in the company of a complete stranger. But her heart was telling her that she'd be safe and well cared for. She eased herself off the sofa, reached for her handcrafted walking stick, and limped to her bedroom to begin packing.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

David arrived at Veronica's cabin about a half hour later. Her luggage was packed. All that was needed was to have David help with the packing of the food she brought with her to the cabin for her stay. She'd make sure he'd also bring blankets that came with the cabin rental. They will be of good use if they lost power during the storm. She'd make sure to bring them back to her cabin after the storm was over.

There was a knock on the front door. Veronica limped to open the door for David.

"Hey," David said with a smile as he walked in with several plastic bags in his hand.

"Come on in," she said as he walked in. "I've managed to pack my luggage, but I didn't get to the food and blankets."

"No problem. I brought these bags to put in whatever food you have available," he said as he raised his bag-filled clutched hand. "I'll be glad to finish that task for you. Rest you ankle—it could be a little while." David then walked to the kitchen.

"The canned goods are in the small pantry next to the refrigerator. I don't have anything in the freezer and there are only a few things in the refrigerator," she said returning to the sofa to prop up her ankle.

"Found them. Good, you have green tea too, and it's decaffeinated. That's the only kind of tea I drink, among other beverages," he said as he packed the bags. "I've already cooked the meat I had in my freezer in case the power goes out. I don't think we'll starve."

"Sounds good. By the way, what meats do you have?" Veronica asked.

"A few rib eye steaks, but I also have chicken breasts," David replied. _I wonder if she's a vegetarian_ he thought to himself.

"Oh, good. I mean, I'm glad you have chicken, because I don't eat beef."

"No beef, huh? Ok. Well, it's a good thing I have chicken then," he said as he turned to her and smiled. "I was going to go fishing while I'm here, but the weather has changed that plan for now."

"You'll find a couple of cans of canned salmon. I love salmon patties and planned to cook that while here."

"I've never tried salmon patties. I've eaten grilled salmon many times before. You'll have to teach me how to make the patties when we get back to my cabin. That'll be your welcome-to-my-cabin meal for you. How does that sound?" David wanted her to feel welcome.

"That's very thoughtful of you. Thank you. Do you have any potatoes? Baked potatoes will round out the meal nicely."

"Yep. I bought a five-pound bag. I like au gratin potatoes. Would you like that or would you rather have baked potatoes?" David said as he walked from the kitchen with the filled bags.

"Au gratin potatoes sounds delicious. You're going to have your work cut out for you tonight," she said with a chuckle.

"I love to cook, especially when my company loves to eat," he said smiling.

"Well, I do love to eat which is why I'm as active as I am—or as active as I was before injuring my ankle. Otherwise, I'd be as big as a house!" They both laughed at the mental picture that statement created.

"Ok. Do you have anything else you'd like to bring?" David asked as he looked around the room.

"Yes. I thought it would be a good idea to bring the blankets from the bed in the bedroom to add to what you have at your cabin in case the power is lost during the storm."

"Good idea. I'll load these bags and your luggage in the Jeep, and then the blankets and you."

"I'll be able to drive my SUV to your cabin. It's not that far. I prefer that it be at your cabin."

"You are one independent woman!" David said with some amazement, "which is a good thing," he added, not wanting to sound as if he was insulting her.

"Yes, well," Veronica said taking a deep breath. "I'm still a work-in-progress when it comes to being assertive."

"Hey, I have nothing against a woman speaking her mind. It lets me know where I stand." David sensed a wounded heart in Veronica. "Without my sounding too pushy, why don't you gather your purse and keys while I pack these things in my Jeep so we can head on over to my cabin?" he gently suggested. He realized he'd have to be careful of how he phrased his comments to her. More importantly, he realized he'd have to show her the respect she deserved for the intelligent woman that she is.

"Ok," she said while realizing she had to soften the defensive attitude she'd developed during the past few years. _David is just being helpful _she thought to herself. _Not every man is like Luke._

They arrived at the cabin, David with his Jeep packed with bags, blankets, and luggage and Veronica with her silver SUV, empty. David immediately set up pillows on an ottoman in front of one of the overstuffed chairs for Veronica to rest her ankle. She thanked him and, feeling of little use for the tasks at hand, made herself comfortable in one of the large chairs in the sitting room. As David unloaded the Jeep, she observed her surroundings noticing the sparseness of the room. The sitting room in her cabin was a little larger with a few more pieces of furniture. She concluded he probably just liked the simplicity of the room. She noticed a guitar case in the corner next to the fireplace. She made a mental note to ask him to play his guitar for her. She noticed a radio but no TV. It was of no consequence to her for she, seeking solace on this trip, brought a few of her favorite books to read; now they will be useful while waiting out the winter storm and its aftermath.

"I put your luggage and the blankets in the bedroom which is just around the corner from this room." David said as he pointed toward the entrance of the sitting room. He noticed a slightly surprised look in Veronica's face. "I'm going to sleep out here; you can have the bed." He hoped that would relieve her mind.

"I certainly don't mind sleeping here on the chair. It's very comfortable and..." David interrupted her.

"Listen. You are my guest; therefore, I want you to sleep in my bed. Now, I understand you are a very willful and independent woman, but I don't think we have much of a choice to arrange things any other way. I'm not trying to be domineering. I just feel that common sense should prevail considering our circumstances." David was getting a little irritated with her consistent defiance.

"And I don't want to inconvenience you in any way." Veronica felt her face getting hot. "I appreciate your kindness, but I don't want to be in your way." Her eyes began to glisten with tears.

David saw the emotion in her face. He sat down in the other chair and faced her. He softly said, "Veronica, I meant it when I told you earlier today that you are not an inconvenience to me." He was now certain that she had had some kind of emotional upheaval in her life. "I want you to be comfortable here. I have experienced worse living conditions than this before in my lifetime. This is a paradise compared to where I was raised as a boy...Hell; I'm getting off track here." He heaved a heavy sigh and ran his fingers through his hair. "We will get through this together." He noticed her facial expression softening a bit with a hint of a smile.

"I'm sorry for my childish behavior. It's just that my ankle hurts rather badly and I'm dealing with the disappointment that I'll not be able to do all the things I'd plan to do while on my vacation." Veronica said with a nervous chuckle. "I wouldn't be able to do those things now anyway because of the storm. I'm just feeling sorry for myself, I guess. Please forgive me."

"There's nothing to forgive." David was glad for this momentary relief of tension. "Would you like me to bring you some pain reliever and water?"

"That would be great. Thanks."

David returned with the pain tablets and water. After taking the tablets, she repositioned herself in the chair to make herself more comfortable.

"What would you like to do now?" David asked as he took the drinking glass from Veronica.

"David, I don't want you waiting on me hand and foot. Let's agree on this—I'll ask for help if I need it. You don't have to entertain me. But I would like you to do one thing for me."

"What would that be?" His interest was piqued.

Veronica eyes moved to David's guitar case and back to him. "I'd love for you to play your guitar for me sometime while I'm here."

"I think I can manage that," he said with a smile. "A few friends and I have jam sessions every now and then. My work schedule is rather hectic and I don't always get the chance to play as often as I'd like. It's been a great stress buster throughout my life."

"What kind of guitar is it?"

"It's a Martin. I've had it since the early '70s.

"My only connection to music is my CD collection. I like a variety of music genres. I'm very partial to the rock music of the '90s."

"I love the music of the '70s, but new performers are arriving on the scene all the time which keeps me challenged to learn how to play the new tunes. Music is a big part of my life."

"David, I think I just saw a few snowflakes outside the kitchen window," Veronica said with a slight nod in the direction of the kitchen.

David turned to look then got up out of his chair and walked to the front door and opened it. Sure enough, snow was beginning to fall. The clouds were a deep purple indicating the storm was just arriving. "You're right, Veronica. The snowfall is increasing as I speak." He heard her as she limped to join him.

"It's so pretty. I don't mind it for the first day, but I get tired of it soon after."

"San Francisco just gets rain. Snow rarely falls there." David paused, then said, "I'm in the mood for hot chocolate. How about you?" David said as he closed the door. The wind was picking up speed and the temperature felt much colder than earlier this morning.

"I'd like that. There should be some shortbread cookies in the things you packed. You're welcome to some if you'd like."

"Thank you because my next question was going to be if you'd like some with your cocoa," he said with the look of childish delight on his face as he proceeded to the kitchen to prepare the beverages.

Veronica, tired of sitting, followed him to the kitchen. "I need something to do. I'm getting bored."

"Well, why don't we play a board game later? It'll be intellectually stimulating and maybe take our minds off the storm. I think I saw a Monopoly game amongst the mix." David poured the hot steaming cocoa into the mugs and proceeded back to the sitting room with Veronica limping behind him holding the package of cookies.

"OK. It'll at least pass the time. How about turning on the radio for some music?" she said as she opened the package and set it next to the mugs on the small table located between the two chairs.

"Music it is." David walked to the radio and turned it on. He found a country music station. He's not too keen on that genre of music, but decided it would do. He then walked to the hall closet to retrieve a few board games. He checked the thermostat and it showed the indoor temperature to be 68°F. He made a mental note to check it during the night, especially if there was loss of power.

"Here we are. I also found a deck of cards. This should keep us entertained for a while." He smiled as he set the items down on the floor between their chairs.

They decided on a game of cards. They talked companionably with each other about books, movies, and some politics while successfully avoiding talking about the pains of each of their pasts. Their intermittent laughter filled the room and the warmth from the fireplace made it cozy. The cares of their worlds melted away while the snow fell heavily and the wind blew fiercely outside.

The hours passed by easily. David and Veronica not only played cards, but played a couple of rounds of Monopoly. David looked at his watch and saw that it was 6:30. He walked to the sitting room window to see how much snow had fallen. Sunset had come and gone so David switched the porch light on which illuminated the vehicles. The bumpers were hidden from the depth of the snow. He mentally calculated that twenty inches or more had already fallen. The skies were still threatening and the snow was still falling heavily. The last storm update reported that there would be approximately three feet of snow by the time the storm was over. Some places were expecting accumulations up to four feet. The forecast for the next day would be sunny and windy, but the high temperature would be only -10°F. The report also suggested that a thaw would not occur for a couple more days.

It was time for dinner, and as promised, Veronica coached David on how to make salmon patties. He made her comfortable in the small kitchen by placing a pillow on one of the kitchen dinette chairs for her to rest her ankle. As she coached him, she peeled potatoes for the au gratin casserole. They decided to eat dinner in front of the fireplace as the power went out while dinner was being prepared.

"Thank goodness for the gas stove and oven, huh?" David asked. "Otherwise, it would be peanut butter sandwiches and bottled water."

"I know," Veronica said as her face grimaced. "This salmon patty is good, and, m-m-m, so is the casserole." She closed her eyes as she chewed her food.

"Yeah, dinner is good," he said, smiling at her facial expression.

There were no leftovers as they cooked only what they needed. David insisted on cleaning up with Veronica insisting on at least drying the dishes while she sat. He just smiled without voicing any objections, shook his head, and handed her a dish towel.

"David, I noticed there were pocket doors between the kitchen and the hallway entrances into the sitting room. If we closed off the doorways, the heat will be retained in the sitting room while we sleep." David was taken aback by her analytical mind.

"Sounds like a great idea. I can't believe I didn't notice them before now," he said as he walked to the kitchen entrance to examine the doorway. "I'll bring in the mattress so you'll be more comfortable..."

"David, remember my saying I would ask..."

"Yes, you did; but I'm _offering_. Let's call a truce on this 'I'm independent and I'll ask for help' issue," David said while making air quotation marks, "and just go with the flow, OK?" David realized there was a battle of wills here, but he determined to be the victor.

"Yes dear," Veronica said in a teasing manner. "Whatever you say." She was feeling tired from the events of the day and would give up her willfulness, for now.

David walked back to the sink a little confused at her response. He was also feeling tired and wanted to get to sleep as soon as he could. They finally finished cleaning the dishes and walked back into the sitting room.

"I know I promised to play my guitar for you tonight, but I'm rather beat. How about tomorrow?"

"I'm tired too," she said as she stifled a yawn. "Tomorrow is fine."

Veronica obligingly slept on the mattress and David rearranged the chairs and ottoman to form a single bed for him. He made sure there was ample firewood in the fireplace before going to sleep. It was going to be a long night. He not only would make sure the fire continued to burn in the fireplace, but he would have to find a way to contain his own fire burning for Veronica.

* * *

><p>It was Wednesday, two days after Kate received her life-altering letter from David Smith. She arrived at her office to find that Lauren had returned from her out-of-town court hearing. "Oh joy," Kate muttered to herself holding her grandé sized coffee as she walked past Leo. He instinctively translated that to be her response to Lauren's return. He followed her into her office. She sat down and rested her high-heeled feet on the top of her desk.<p>

"Good morning Kate! A grandé I see!" Leo placed the fingers of both hands to either side of his forehead. "I foresee a day filled with lots of activity, some of it valid, some of it not, that will involve you preventing yourself from seeing too much of Lauren. Am I right?" Leo smiled and folded his arms across his chest.

"Leo, please, not today." Kate leaned forward to talk lower. "Yes, it's been nice not having her around for two days, but the grindstone doesn't stop turning when she's not here. I got a call after you left yesterday from a very disgruntled member of the community."

"A disgruntled member of the community, you say...hmm. Would that person happen to be of Grayson and Butler Antiques?"

"Yes. How'd you know?" Kate took a sip of her coffee.

"Mr. Grayson called while you were in your meeting with the Hamilton divorce lawyers. Mr. Grayson wouldn't leave a message. He only said he'd call back later."

"Yeah, well, apparently Mr. Grayson and Mr. Butler are not only partners of their shop, but partners in life as well. Mr. Grayson wants a split with Mr. Butler, both personally and professionally. He wants to protect his assets from being raked over and lost to Mr. Butler."

"This calls for the assistance of the best paralegal in town," Leo said putting his hands on his hips looking like a comic strip hero. "I'll get right on it. Let's see," Leo looked upwards to the ceiling and thinking out loud said, "Property rights and such of gay couples in California..." He paused and then asked, "How long have they been in business together? More importantly, how long have they been in their personal relationship?"

"Mr. Grayson said they've been in a personal relationship for eleven years. He brought Mr. Butler in as a business partner a year after they met. Mr. Butler owns forty-five percent of the business."

"OK. That gives me something to go on. By the way, Lauren asked me to tell you she wants to see you as soon as you came in."

"Of course she does," Kate said as she stood up and walked past her desk with coffee in hand. Leo shook his head and returned to his desk.

"Well, good morning. I'm glad to see you've finally arrived," Lauren said in her usual condescending tone of voice.

"Good morning Lauren. Leo said you wanted to see me." Kate continued to stand.

"We have a problem." Lauren stood and leaned forward on her desk.

"Problem? What problem?" Kate asked perplexed.

"It concerns Tom Montane. He called me this morning from his jail cell."

"What? Our Tom Montane? What is he in jail for?" Kate was very surprised to hear this bit of news as Tom is a well-respected and longtime attorney at Reed and Reed.

"It appears he was picked up by police on suspicion of extortion. It seems it's been going on for a _very_ long time." Lauren's facial expression was expressionless.

"How long?" Kate was beginning to get a knot in the pit of her stomach. She immediately sat down.

Lauren took a deep breath. "It seems it's been going on long before I married your father."

"Dear God Lauren! Didn't anyone notice any funny stuff going on with the books? Is there any indication of how this will affect Reed and Reed? How could this have gone on as long as it did without father knowing about it?"

"Slow down Kate. I don't know if the extortion involved any of Reed and Reed's business finances nor do I know if your father was aware of this or if he may have been involved." For the first time, Kate saw tears in Lauren's eyes.

"Oh my God!" Kate said as she placed her hands on either side of her face while looking down to the floor then returned her gaze to Lauren. "What are we going to do?"

"What we _have_ to do is release all the records of Tom's activities during his employment here. Several FBI agents arrived just after I did this morning with a search warrant. One is with his assistant now. The other agents are with the other assistants I assigned to help compile all the paper records that we have in the basement storage area. Kate, if this turns out as bad as I think it might, we're going down."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Kate always had the utmost respect for her father. But, now, she began to question everything she ever knew of him. This would be the worst possible thing to ever happen to her family name. She didn't know how much more bad news she could take. She looked at Lauren's solemn face and for the first time found herself actually feeling sorry for her. Whatever happened would affect them both, but Lauren was the type of woman who, despite her wealth and demeanor, was a lonesome figure without Teddy. His sudden death shocked them both. It was an experience that taught them that you can't take anything, or anyone, for granted. Each day will bring what it will.

"Lauren," Kate said softly. "This is going to get out to the media, if it hasn't already. Have you talked to Sharon in Public Affairs? She should do some damage control and quick!

"I wanted to talk with you first before calling her. So now that I have, it's time to get the ball rolling to turn this thing around."

"OK. Is there anything that I can do on my end to help with this mayhem?"

"Actually, no for now," Lauren said as she lightly punched in the numbers on her phone to contact Sharon. "I will be sure to let you know, though. Thanks."

"OK," Kate said in a loud whisper. "I'll just go back to my office and watch everything Dad worked for completely crumble from the sidelines!" she said sarcastically.

"Kate, there isn't much that you or I can do at this juncture," Lauren said as she held up her right index finger to alert Kate that the Public Affairs Office answered. "Yes, this is Lauren Reed. I'd like to speak to Sharon Worthington, please. Yes, I'll hold." Lauren continued her conversation with her hand over the receiver, "Kate, we'll just have to take this one day at a time. I'm scared to death about this, too. But we have to keep a clear head if we're going to effectively deal with the authorities. Facts are key here, not speculation."

"Spoken like a true lawyer!" Kate replied. She then turned toward the door and stormed out.

Lauren talked to Sharon and they decided to meet within the next thirty minutes. Lauren cleared her morning schedule. There would be much to do in order to save the reputation of Reed & Reed and so little time to get it done. Lauren likened the events to a high speed runaway train without brakes. Things were moving very fast and Lauren had to work quickly.

Kate's mind was racing. As she passed Leo's desk, she gave him a _"come with me"_ signal with her index finger. As he walked into her office, Kate turned to him and began talking before he had a chance to say anything. "Leo, in case you haven't heard, Reed & Reed or I should say, Tom Montane, is being investigated for extortion."

"What?"His reaction mirrored Kate's reaction earlier. He instinctively closed the office door behind him.

"Yep. The FBI agents are scattered all over the place as we speak with two in Tom's office retrieving his computer and all his electronic and paper records, and the other agents are in the basement storage area with a couple of assistants whom Lauren sent to help retrieve the rest of his archival paper records. This is going to be a rough ride."

"What does Lauren have to say about all this?" Leo asked.

"She's her usual self when dealing with chaos. She won't let me lift a finger to help despite the fact that I'm a partner of this firm! She's called Sharon in Public Relations to come up with a statement for the media. God, I just want to hit something or somebody," Kate said with her hands clenched into fists. Her dark brown eyes became even darker.

Leo leaned back while holding up both hands opened as if to deflect any jabs from her. "Whoa now, Miss Reed," he said with a Texas-style drawl. "Cool your jets! Take a deep breath." Leo took a deep breath to demonstrate. His diction returned to its norm. "Kate, it sounds as if Lauren is on the right track, for starters. I'll be glad to help in any way I can. The first thing that comes to mind is to check our records to find if you've worked on any cases with Tom. If there are none, you should be in the clear of any chance of having to appear in court, correct? "

"I may still have to appear because of my partner status. Leo, this mess may implicate Dad. Lauren says Tom's activities go back to before she married Dad. He's the last of the original members of this law practice. Reed & Reed could be ruined if his activities were in any way connected to our firm." She suddenly realized that she had referred to Teddy as 'Dad'—several times already. She felt a sense of perjury.

"Wow. This is madness." Leo shook his head in disbelief. "I'll get started right away on researching your case files now. Would you like me to clear you schedule for today?"

"Yes, thanks Leo. That'll give me some time to help Lauren, if she'll let me." Actually, Kate had other plans. "I can't take many more hits like this. This bad karma's got to end!" Kate said in frustration.

"Stay strong. I've got your back," he replied. Leo was her ally; she knew he meant what he said.

"Thanks, Leo," Kate replied with appreciation. "OK, get started to find out what you can. I'll do the same here."

Leo opened the office door and closed it quietly behind him. Kate turned around and walked past her desk to peer out the window of her office. Her eyes began to swell with tears as she said, "Damn you, Teddy! What did you know about this?"

The morning hours passed quickly. Sharon composed a strategic press release that focused primarily on Tom Montane. Lauren approved it without delay to have it read later to the press once the FBI agents were gone. The news media trucks began arriving one by one early in the morning and were parked in front of the building just before noon. By then the FBI had completed their search and seizure and had left.

Lauren maintained her composure throughout the morning; she called Kate to her office. "Kate, let's talk. Have a seat." she proffered. Kate sat down without blinking; if stares could create holes... "Kate, Sharon is going to make a short statement to the press in a few minutes. I've put a call through to the San Francisco Police Chief to order their trucks to leave the front of the building after she reads the statement. I wanted to discuss with you the obvious jeopardy any conversation regarding this mess may cost the law firm."

"What are you inferring?" Kate asked defensively.

"Just don't talk about this upcoming case to _anyone_! That includes Justin. He may become involved in the prosecution of Montane anyway. To talk to him would, of course, be a conflict of interest."

"I understand your premise, but, Lauren, Justin and I are divorcing. That would legally separate us from any conflict of interest."

"Kate, you know very well that even having been married to him will be cause for conflict of interest. Justin is an ambitious man and being a part of the downfall of Reed and Reed could be the very thing that catapults his position to District Attorney if he handled it in a way that would go in his favor."

"Justin wouldn't..."

"He just might, Kate. Spouses can become rather ugly during the period of their divorce proceedings. You should know. You've seen enough of that kind of behavior."

"Yes, but Justin wouldn't do that," Kate replied again, attempting to convince herself.

"Kate, you're too smart to be that naïve. Please go with me on this one, for the sake of Reed and Reed, OK?" Lauren asked in an imploring tone.

"OK. I understand. Is that all?" Kate was ready to call it a day and it wasn't lunchtime yet. One more 'order' from Lauren and she was going to go ballistic.

"Yes, for now. Thanks for your cooperation."

"Sure." Kate raised herself out of the chair and walked back to her office. She looked outside her office window and saw that Sharon was reading the press statement. _God, they look like a bunch of vultures_, she thought to herself. After the statement was read, Sharon refused any questions and further comments and walked back into the building. The police arrived soon thereafter ordering the news media trucks to leave as one lane of the road in front of the building was impassable. Twenty minutes or so later the front of Reed and Reed's building appeared as if nothing had happened.

The long day was finally over. Lauren managed to fulfill her afternoon appointments with poise and dignity; Kate wondered if she possessed any faculty for emotion at all. Kate and Leo's research confirmed that she had not worked with Tom in any of his cases; however she planned to sift through Teddy's files alone after the FBI left. Since Montane was the only one implicated thus far, Teddy's electronic records were, fortunately, still available in the basement storage room and not the property of the FBI. She retrieved some of the records stored on CDs to start her own investigation. She planned to sift through the information little by little until such time she found something—anything for that matter—that would save Reed and Reed. Kate would not reveal to Lauren what she was doing; Leo wasn't even in on this. She decided that the less he was involved, the better in the event that the investigation widened to include all of Reed and Reed. She would have to make certain that the CDs be kept secure somewhere safe. That was going to be a challenge.

If they were going down, she was going to go down kicking and screaming. Lauren could continue to maintain her stoicism, but Kate wasn't going to give anyone the chance to destroy the firm. She was determined to find out everything, even if it implicated Teddy.

Veronica woke from a pleasant dream. The nightmarish dreams that had been occurring intermittently during the past year were beginning to diminish. This dream was of her walking down a sunlit path sprinkled with fallen blossoms from flowering cherry blossom trees that lined the path. She remembered feeling peaceful and immensely happy. She stretched and quietly eased herself off the mattress with the aid of her walking stick. David was still asleep in his makeshift chair bed. He'd kept watch over the fireplace during the night, replacing the firewood as needed. He'd also kept watch over her, but Veronica wasn't aware of that fact. He had finally succumbed to exhaustion and was sound asleep. She saw that the firewood was still red hot, so she removed the fire screen and quietly added a couple more logs, one by one, to the fire grate, stoked the wood, and added kindling. A large crackling fire ensued providing crucial warmth to the room.

She had slept in her clothes worn the day before, so decided to bathe and change. She quietly opened the pocket door leading to the hallway and just as quietly closed it behind her and went into the bathroom to turn on the water for her shower. However, she discovered that the frigid temperatures from the freakish snowstorm froze the water pipes. She sighed and limped across the hall to the kitchen's back entrance to avoid waking David and put a pot filled with water on the gas stove to warm for what she referred to as a _sink_ bath.

Feeling a great deal better in clean clothes, socks, and sweater, she returned to the kitchen. She opened the pocket door to the sitting room slightly to find David still sleeping. She saw that he had shifted to his side with his back toward the fireplace ostensibly to avoid the heat emanating from the fireplace. She quietly closed the door. Feeling hungry, she opened the refrigerator out of habit and quickly remembered the power was out. She noticed that the food that was in it was gone. Puzzled, she checked the freezer. She found that David had transferred the food to the freezer sometime during the night as it was colder. She immediately removed the milk, poured some into a cup, and returned it to the freezer. She made a mental note to take advantage of Mother Nature later this morning by storing those items on the back porch as the temperature would be low enough to keep them fresh.

She spread peanut butter onto a slice of wheat bread and filled a coffee pot with water for hot tea as the temperature in the kitchen was rather cold. She heard the door sliding open and turned around. David leaned in the doorway with his arms folded in front of his chest. He looked rather haggard, but ruggedly handsome, in his Henley shirt and jeans. He'd also slept in his clothes from the day before.

"Good morning, Veronica. I thought I heard you moving around. How's your ankle?" he asked as he moved his head slightly down and to the side with his eyes fixed on her ankle.

"Good morning, David," she replied with a smile. "I'm surprised I didn't wake you before now. The ankle is still sore, but on the mend." She didn't like to complain. "By the way, I noticed the food was transferred from the refrigerator to the freezer. It might be a good idea to put those items later this morning on the back porch to keep them cold. The freezer compartment won't be cold for much longer."

"Good idea." _There goes that analytical mind again_ he thought to himself. "Actually, the outdoor temperature might be too cold, but we'll check the food during the day to make sure it doesn't freeze solid. A snowstorm of this magnitude is unheard of this time of year in this area, even at this elevation. We really got hammered."

"I'm going to make some tea. Would you like some, or would you rather have coffee?" Veronica asked as she stood to retrieve the box of tea bags from the kitchen cabinet.

"Coffee, please," he replied as he rubbed his face with the back of his fingers of his right hand. "But first I need to shower and change my clothes." He still planned to nix the shaving routine while on vacation, but perhaps he'd modify it to a light stubble. Maybe it had something to do with Veronica's presence.

"Then you'll need to heat some water. The pipes are frozen," she said with a knowing smile. He looked toward the kitchen window and saw the snow pack against the sill. "OK, then," he said with a shrug. "A sink bath it is." David walked past her. She could feel his heated energy as he passed. He took one of the large pots of water from the kitchen counter drawn up the day before and put it on the stove to warm. He then walked into the hallway and down to the bedroom to retrieve a change of clothing.

The water in the coffee pot began to boil just as he returned to the kitchen. Veronica removed it from the burner. She filled two mugs with hot water, placed them on the table, and sat down.

"I'm famished," David said as he added sugar to his coffee. "How about some french toast covered with pure maple syrup and melted butter?" he asked in a mockingly enticing tone. "If you can wait until I've cleaned up, we'll have a feast," he said as he began to leave the kitchen with his mug of coffee.

"Sure, I can wait. French toast does sound good," Veronica replied as she dipped the tea bag in and out of her mug. "I've fixed a slice of wheat bread with peanut butter to eat before taking ibuprofen, but I'm sure I'll have room for French toast."

"Good," he replied with a wink. "I'll be back in a jiffy. By the way, keep that ankle propped up," he said pointing to her foot as he left the kitchen. He remembered she said she would ask for help if she needed it, but he couldn't resist giving his unsolicited advice.

She was slowly becoming accustomed to this man's kindness. It was the simple things that he did for her that proved him to be an unselfish and thoughtful man. However, she had to keep in mind that in a few days they'd be returning to their separate lives.

When David returned, he saw that she was stretched out on one end of his makeshift bed with her ankle propped on a pillow wearing an instant ice pack. She was reading one of her books. He left her to her solitude and began preparing breakfast. As he cooked, he found himself whistling. It wasn't a recognizable tune, just one made up. Veronica looked up from her book and watched him for a few moments. It was so peaceful here, despite their confinement. She closed her eyes, took a deep cleansing breath, and returned to her reading.

Moments later, he said, "Breakfast is served, madam," imitating a French accent as he walked towards her with their breakfast plates in his hands.

"A girl could get used to this royal treatment," she said with a chuckle. "Thank you." She repositioned herself to more upright position and took her plate from him. David set his on the small table and repositioned the other chair and ottoman to provide a separate seating area for him. They ate their breakfast quietly without much conversation.

After a few minutes, David looked over at her with a slight smile. She returned his gaze. She sensed there was something on his mind, but concluded he would reveal whatever it was in his own time. He returned to his breakfast, finished it, and set the plate on the small table. The fire was getting low so he added more wood. He walked to the front window to peer outside. The snow height was midway to the vehicles' car doors. There were still clouds in the sky and the wind had died down.

He tugged at the front door to open it only to find that the snow drift was almost to the level of the doorknob. He analyzed that beyond this snow drift the depth of the snow pack was about three to four feet leading to the vehicles. He remembered seeing a couple of snow shovels in a small alcove in the kitchen while he was preparing for the storm the day before. He walked through the sitting room to the back door, opened it, and found that the snow drift was about the same depth as it was at the front of the cabin. He was feeling a bit anxious because of his concern of the amount of snow that may have accumulated on the roof. He had heard on the weather radio late last night that another snow storm was headed in their direction with an expected arrival later this evening. The chances of a roof cave-in would increase exponentially with any additional snowfall. He had to remove the snow on the roof now before the second storm arrived. He was going to have to tell Veronica about the second storm and its implications.

He closed the back door and walked to the sitting room and explained about the roof. Her eyes revealed alarm. She was by nature a rational person, but this new information was bad news—another snow storm and possibly a longer confinement... "David, you could be seriously injured if you fell from the roof," she said trying to remain calm. "Why don't you wait until the road crews make their way into the rec area? They could help you. I don't mean to imply that you aren't able to do the job, but it could be dangerous." David saw she was getting anxious.

"Veronica, we could be seriously injured or, God forbid, killed if the roof caves in. I'd rather do something now rather than later. The priority of the road crew is to clear the major road arteries first, then the secondary roads next. They may not get here for another day or so. And...," he paused. "So, you see, this should be done now."

She stood up. "I want to help. What would you like me to do?"

"But your ankle...?" David said with concern.

"It'll be fine," she replied with assurance.

"I can handle this," he said insistently. His male ego was surfacing.

"Are you implying that because I'm female that I am unable to do physical labor? Let me tell you..."

"Hey, let's not get into a male-versus-female role argument here," he said not wanting to ignite further tension. "I'm sorry. It's just that this situation that we're in has brought...," David cleared his throat and lowered his voice, "has brought out the chivalrous male in me. I just don't want you to be on your injured ankle too much. You could reinjure it."

"David, David, David," Veronica replied, looking down and shaking her head slowly as she limped towards him. "First of all, thank you for your concern," she said standing as she looked upward to meet him face-to-face. "But, as you can see, I'm hobbling around pretty well. I'll be careful. Second of all, if I don't do something physical soon, and I mean _work_, I'm going to go stark raving mad!" She hoped that she drove the point home to him. She, however, wasn't sure she was as confident about herself as she sounded.

"OK," he replied as he shrugged and raised his hands in resignation. "I get your point." He paused for a few moments to recollect his thoughts. "I remember seeing a ladder lying along the side of the cabin on the porch, but it's buried under the snow," he said. "There are a couple of shovels near the back door that _we...,"_ he said as he pointed to himself and to her, "can use to dig through to get to it, and then we'll have to dig a short path from the porch to just beyond the roofline in order to lean the ladder against it. Once I get to the roof, I can begin to remove the snow."

"OK," Veronica replied as she turned and walked toward the hallway. "I need my coat and boots and ..." Her voice trailed off as she limped away into the direction of the bedroom. David shook his head as he watched her walk away. He took the breakfast dishes to the kitchen then proceeded to the bedroom to also get his winter gear. When he entered, he found Veronica crying. He had that "_Oh, man-n-n_" look on his face when he saw her, but quickly changed it to show more consideration.

"Hey, what's the matter?" he asked gently as he walked towards her. She was sitting on the edge of the side chair putting on her second boot. She waved him off, wiping the tears from her face as she finished tying the boot laces.

"Damn it; my emotions...they're getting the best of me," she said in frustration as she stood up. As she began to walk past him, he took her into his arms and held her close, cradling her head on his chest with his hand. She continued to cry. She was usually emotionally stronger than this, but this new information was just too much. She instinctively wrapped her arms around David's waist.

David closed his eyes while taking a deep breath. "Listen to me. I can't promise that everything's going to be alright," he said in a low voice while resting the side of his face on the top of her head. He continued to hold her tightly. "But I will say this; I'm going to do everything in my power to protect us from any harm. It's not going to be easy, but I know we can do this, alright?" He gave her another quick squeeze and gently stepped out of their embrace, tilted her face up to his and looked into her tear-filled eyes. He gently wiped the tears off her cheeks with his thumbs while caressing her face in his hands. He couldn't remember the last time he felt so protective of anyone. He wanted her so badly but was not going to take advantage of her vulnerability.

Veronica took in his gaze. Her knees felt weak. She nervously cleared her throat and smiled wryly. "We'd better get started then," she said as she wiped away the tears from her eyes and cheeks with her fingers. "Your things are over there," pointing to the bed frame and box springs as she reached for her winter gear.

"OK, thanks," David replied softly. He wanted to hold her again, but took her cue and retrieved his coat, boots, and gloves. He hesitated walking out of the room until she was on her way out. He closed the door behind him and followed her out through the back door of the cabin.

They worked steadily to complete their task while taking frequent breaks inside the cabin to warm up. Frostbite was something neither of them wanted nor needed.

David rested the ladder against the roofline and began his ascent with snow shovel in hand. Veronica stood at the foot of the ladder making sure it remained steady. When he got to the top, he discovered that the snow pack was not as thick as he had assumed. He concluded that the strong winds of the night before prevented significant snow accumulation there. "You're not going to believe this," he said looking down to her.

"Believe what?" she asked looking up.

"There isn't as much snow as I thought. It's still thick, looks to be about a foot and a half. It seems the strong winds from last night kept much of it off the roof."

"That's good to hear," she replied. "Please be careful."

"You bet," he replied as he proceeded with the snow removal. Veronica had to move to the porch to stand just beneath the edge of the roof to avoid being pummeled with the discarded snow. They continued to take occasional short breaks to get out of the bitter cold to prevent frostbite.

He had removed much of what was accumulated and began his descent. Veronica was waiting. "We're OK for now," he said as he stepped off the ladder. "Your face is very red," he said as they walked back inside.

"So is yours," Veronica replied. "I don't see any dark red or purple areas," she continued as she observed his face while removing her coat and hat.

"None on your face either," he replied with satisfaction. "Once we are warm again it should fade."

David walked into the sitting room and added more wood to the fireplace. "We're running low on firewood. I'll be back in a few minutes."

He was able to access the firewood pile which was protected by a tarp-like covering with the ends weighed down by concrete blocks. There was a path created through the snow earlier to retrieve the ladder. He came in with an armful. Veronica was in her coat again and limped passed him as he walked through the back door.

She turned and said, "If we do this together, we'll get the firewood in here quicker." David didn't say a word.

The firewood pile was replenished to their satisfaction. They noticed that it was past their lunchtime, so they proceeded to prepare lunch together. Veronica offered to make hot sandwiches and David prepared the hot drinks. He added the filled mugs to the tray already laden with the sandwich-filled plates and utensils. He carried this into the sitting room while Veronica closed the pocket door behind her.

"I meant to ask you earlier," he said after drinking some tea.

"Yes?" she replied as she ate.

"What were you reading this morning?" he asked as took a bite of his sandwich. "By the way, this is good," he said pointing to the sandwich.

The emotional scene earlier in the day seemed to have been forgotten. "Glad you like it," she replied with a smile. "The book is a fictional story based on actual Irish history from the 1800s. There's something in it for everyone; romance, mystery..."

"Sounds interesting," he replied. "I love the history of Ireland. I worked there years ago."

"Really! How long were you there?" Veronica asked with some astonishment as she took a bite of her sandwich.

"About nine years. I got a job as a systems analyst with an American software company after graduating college. It was one of the best periods of my life."

"So, you like to travel too?" she asked.

"You bet," David replied. "I served in the Marines during the Vietnam War. Later I entered college on the GI Bill and travelled to Chile and Italy. After graduating I was fortunate enough to get that job in Ireland. I haven't been able to travel for a long while...," he paused and then continued, "because of my busy work schedule. I'd like to return to Ireland one day." He wasn't ready to reveal any information that would lead him to explain the twelve-year gap in his life.

"I've been to Canada and Puerto Rico. I studied art in Paris, France as an exchange student while at college. That was a great experience. I'd like to go back for a visit."

"You must be pretty good. Do you still paint?" He liked learning more about her interests.

"Occasionally." She wasn't ready to explain why she hadn't kept up with it.

"There's a lot of pretty country around where you work...could be inspiring. What lead you to be a waitress?" He wanted to know more.

"Actually, I'm not a waitress." Veronica replied. She saw a puzzled look come over David's face. She smiled and said, "I _own_ the café."

"What? I had no idea!" he said with surprise and delight.

"Well, you wouldn't have. The day you came in for lunch was the day _after_ one of my waitresses quit without notice. I was filling in until I got a replacement. The café originally belonged to my father. He died a couple of years ago and left it to me. My mother died a year before Dad. There are great childhood memories there. I couldn't sell it to a stranger."

"That was a lot of grief for you to go through in such a short time," he replied sympathetically.

"Yes, but life goes on," she replied.

"I own an Irish pub in San Francisco; looks like we have something in common."

"Interesting! Tell me about it," she replied with genuine interest.

He described the pub and its offerings of Irish and American cuisine and told her about Big Max and the other staff members. She listened attentively.

"Your pub sounds like a jewel! I'd like to see it sometime."

"I'd like for you to visit," he replied with anticipation. "Have you ever been to San Francisco?"

"Not for a visit. I've passed through a few times on my way to Los Angeles."

"Well, I'll be glad to be your tour guide when you have a chance to visit."

"I'd like that," she replied. She wanted to know more about this man. She was enjoying their conversation, but she suddenly began to feel some unexplained anxiety. She hated when this happened.

"David?" Veronica asked.

"Yes?"

"Tell me more about your travels." She hoped that more conversation would provide a diversion to her increasing anxiety.

He talked about his experiences in Chile; the rain forest, the coast, and the music. His stories of Italy were also interesting; Rome and the Coliseum, Tuscany, and so on. He said he loved meeting the locals from other countries; they were always so kind and welcoming. As he spoke, he could sense she was uneasy. He wanted to know why.

"Veronica, I don't mean to pry, but you seem edgy. Are you alright?" He had risen from his chair and was sitting on the edge of her ottoman facing her.

"I'm OK. I didn't realize it was so obvious. It's not you, yet it is you," she replied.

"OK. It's not me, yet it is me. I don't understand." He was concerned and confused as well.

"I have occasional panic attacks that appear out of nowhere. I was in a pretty bad relationship for a few years," she said as she tried to control her breathing. "I've seen a therapist in an attempt to piece my life back together. I was counseled on what to do when it happens because I refused to take medication. I usually ride my bicycle in a nearby park or meditate. It doesn't happen as often as it used to, but it's frustrating when it does." She hated appearing helpless. She took another deep breath.

"I understand a little of what you're going through. I sometimes wake up with anxiety when I've had dreams of Vietnam. Like you, it doesn't happen as often as it used to. Fortunately, though, I don't have problems with anxiety during my waking hours. Go figure."

She stood up and turned to walk to the front window to peer outside. She thought that by looking outward from inside the cabin might help to relieve the malady. David followed out of concern.

Her heart was beating fast and her palms were damp. She opened the front door and stood for a few moments to breathe in the cold, fresh air. David watched intently. He knew he couldn't _fix _her problem, but he wanted to help somehow.

She stood in the opened doorway practicing the visual relaxation and controlled breathing techniques that her counselor taught her. She was getting sick and tired of these anxious feelings. It was getting in the way of her quality of life. After a few moments, she closed the door. The thought of this happening again while she is with David was unnerving. Then she began to cry. _God, he must think I'm a basket case crying twice in one day, _she thought to herself.

David walked quickly over to her and took her into his arms. He couldn't resist her any longer. He wanted to comfort her. While still embracing her, he tilted her face up to his and kissed her gently, but wanting more. She quickly pushed him away. He was startled.

"God, I-I'm sorry, Veronica," he said while leaving his arms opened for a moment. He feared he may have alarmed her. "I just got caught up in the moment." Then he rested his arms at his sides. "I'm really sorry if I upset you. I wasn't trying to take advantage of you." He stood still, waiting for her response.

"No, David, I'm sorry," she replied as she turned away wiping the tears from her face. She walked to the fireplace.

He watched her. He didn't want this to be an uncomfortable situation for her, yet it was. He also didn't want Veronica to feel he didn't respect her. He just wanted to be close to her.

He joined her by the fireplace. He didn't touch her. He just stood behind her and waited for her to speak.

"I don't know what came over me," she said as she looked down at the fire crackling in the fireplace. "The only thing I can attribute this attack to is our being in such close quarters. The panic attacks began during a bad relationship I had with a guy named Luke."

"So, his name was Luke, huh?" David said as he remained behind her. Her revelation validated his suspicions of her having had a bad experience in her life.

"Yes. It was a physically and verbally abusive relationship. He would always apologize afterwards and I'd forgive him, but when things didn't change over time, I knew I was in trouble and had to get out of the situation."

David was developing hatred for this guy and he didn't even know him. He never understood why some men were so cruel to the women in their lives.

Veronica continued. "We were living together. I lost who I was—I didn't paint or do any of the things that were a part of me. My family was very concerned. At first, I resisted their advice because I was 'in love' with him and thought things would get better. God, I was stupid. But the last time he beat me, I finally saw the light, as the saying goes, and left him. I went to the local police station, filed a complaint, and had him charged with assault and battery. They took pictures of the injuries to my face and body. He was arrested, but got out on bail. However, with the financial assistance of my family, I began legal procedures to bring him to court. The day before the court date, however, he was killed in a single car crash. The vehicle he was driving burst into flames. The investigation revealed he'd been drinking, crossed the center line of a two-lane highway at a high rate of speed, and crashed into a grove of trees. That was the end of it." She didn't want to stop talking. She felt she could trust David with her feelings.

"Since then, I've found it very difficult to be alone with a man, even if it's just to go out for dinner. There have only been a couple of guys interested in me since then, but I haven't wanted to get involved with anyone...until now." She turned with her arms folded and faced David. "When you hugged me this morning, I felt a spark of emotion for the first time in a long time and it frightened me. It's been on my mind all day." He continued to listen patiently. "I've been protecting my heart by having it encased in an imaginary thick concrete wall, much like that of a medieval tower, surrounded by a moat filled with piranha." He remained quiet, but slightly smiled at her attempt at metaphor. "The drawbridge has been up for a long time, David. There _is_ a door to my heart, but I won't lower the bridge until I'm ready to let you cross over and into my heart." There was silence for what seemed an eternity.

He gently placed his hands on her shoulders. "Veronica, I'm glad you've told me about all this. I'm so sorry you've experienced so much pain." He noticed her eyes beginning to glisten with tears again. "You sound as though you've become stronger." He gently pulled her towards him. She allowed him to envelope her into his arms. "I want you to know this; I'm a pretty good risk...no, I'm a damned good risk." He paused to think of what to say next. "I hope that in time you'll come to trust me and give me a chance." He continued to hold her and then said, "The heart does become stronger and before you know it, you're feeling alive again."

She listened to his words. "How can you be so sure that will happen?" Right now, she wasn't feeling so optimistic.

"I lost someone, too, long ago. However, my situation was that I was in love with her and her with me. I don't want to go into detail, but we had to split up. Pain is pain regardless of the reason. I never thought I'd feel anything for anyone ever again...until now."

Veronica let those last two words sink in. She slowly stepped out of their embrace. "David, what ever happened to that woman?" she asked in a gentle tone. She wanted to know where she stood in the grand scheme of things.

"She died a number of years ago."

"Oh, David. I'm so sorry." She reached out to touch his arm.

"It's ok. I've gotten past it all. But, for me, it took a long time." David didn't want to go any further with his past.

"David, I don't know how long it'll be before I'm ready for a relationship. I don't want you to waste your time waiting on me." Her furrowed eyebrows indicated she meant what she said.

"I don't consider you a 'waste of my time' Veronica," he replied as he shifted his stance."Want to know something else?" he asked in a low voice with his eyebrows raised slightly.

"What?"

"I will wait for you for as long as it takes," he replied accompanied with as much love and conviction as he could muster. "And, I promise not to be so amorous again until you're ready." She nodded, managed a slight smile, and whispered _OK _then turned to face the fireplace.

David felt he needed to be by himself to absorb what had happened and about what had been said. He also needed to expend some physical energy, so he decided to shovel more snow from the back porch to create a path to the vehicles. Without saying anything further, he picked up his coat, hat, and gloves on his way to the kitchen and walked out the back door closing it quietly.

Veronica turned and watched him as he left. She walked into the kitchen to look out the window to watch him work. She knew she wanted him in her life but had to find a way to open her heart again. She had a feeling he'd be worth it.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Lauren had had a fitful night. Wednesday's events involving the FBI had made her edgy and out of sorts, despite her outwardly calm demeanor. Tom had assured her before she married Teddy that their plan was fool-proof, but was not prepared for Teddy's unexpected death and had not taken into account that the FBI would be arresting Tom. She had to get to the bottom of this and quick to prevent herself from being implicated as an accomplice. She found herself remembering why and how she and Tom planned the scheme in an attempt to bring Teddy down...

Tom and Teddy met while second year law students at UCLA. Both had aspirations to become rich and powerful attorneys. It became a silly-boy contest as to who would be more successful. Following graduation from law school, they each took it upon themselves to schmooze with those who could be most influential to their careers at every available juncture. Their individual self-confidence oozed like oil from the ground. It wasn't long before they had their own law firms. However, it was Teddy's firm that became more financially lucrative. Tom, less successful and envious of Teddy's success, sought to discredit him with uncontrollable greed.

Tom's first step was to ask Russell Hamilton, Lauren's father and a private investigator, to investigate Teddy, citing fabricated illegal activities. However, Russell wasn't aware of Tom's own dishonest dealings. Soon after, Russell received an anonymous call from a man threatening to _finish_ things for him, and he didn't mean the investigation. Russell had been threatened before during his career, but this was different. He sensed there was more to this probe than he had unearthed. Two weeks later Russell was found dead in his car on a lonely stretch of highway with a gunshot wound to his head. The weapon was never found.

Lauren, a paralegal in Tom's law firm and a part-time law student, grieved the loss of her father. Tom, however, couldn't believe his luck; Russell's investigation of Teddy and the fabricated suspicious facts that initiated it could be assumed by the police to be a connection to Teddy regarding his death. Lauren found out about her dad's investigation of Teddy from Tom which incited vengeful emotions. Fueled also by her grief, she decided to join Tom in finding a way to bring Teddy down. But _her_ plan would require acute cunning and manipulation to influence Teddy to marry her. She would take her chances of one day controlling Reed & Reed. After all, she was twenty-three years his junior and was sure she'd outlive him. She wanted her own empire with its wealth and power and was willing to do anything to get it. Her vengeful plan renewed her purpose.

Teddy was a widower when he met Lauren who, by then, was an attorney in Tom's firm. His wife had died unexpectedly of heart failure six months before. He loved her, but felt regret at not having made more time for them as a couple. He had been so absorbed with his goal of being a successful attorney that she was left alone much of the time. It was that one time of many when she was alone that he discovered her lifeless body. Being the kind of man he was, he buried himself in his work to try to overcome his feelings of grief and guilt.

He and Lauren met at one of the few social functions that he would attend since the death of his wife. Teddy was admittedly lonely and was thus smitten with Lauren's youth and beauty. Two months later they were married at a private ceremony in Las Vegas, Nevada. Kate, a law student, was not very happy about the union. Nevertheless, she wanted her dad to be happy and, so, accepted the way things were. Besides, she was too busy getting her life started and who was she to tell her father whom he could and could not marry.

Lauren's plan was proceeding smoothly. Step one of her plan had been accomplished; she was Teddy's wife. Her second goal was to work as an associate with Reed and Reed. However, Tom's hope that Teddy would be implicated in the death of Lauren's father was dashed. The police investigation concluded that Russell's death was the result of one of his investigations, but not the one regarding Teddy. The pace of Tom's plan was slowed. He was becoming increasingly impatient. At the same time, his law firm continued its downward spiral toward financial ruin.

Teddy was aware of Tom's lack of success and questioned in his mind as to the reason. Lauren had revealed to Teddy that she felt her position in Tom's firm was being jeopardized because of its demise and would he consider hiring her to be a part of Reed and Reed? He hired her soon after—second goal accomplished.

Tom needed to sell his firm, but after several refusals from other colleagues, he swallowed his pride and asked Teddy to buy him out. To wait much longer would result in bankruptcy. Before making his decision, Teddy asked his accountants to go over Tom's books with a fine-toothed comb. A questionable accounting entry was found with the name of someone Teddy knew by his dishonest reputation named Robert Hazelton. Teddy and Robert had met at a party previously and had talked somewhat companionably about generic topics, both sizing the other like two lions in the Serengeti. They later went their separate ways. It would be months before Teddy would hear from Robert again. Teddy was aware of his past, but questioned why Tom was connected with him.

Teddy was alone at his office finishing up some loose ends regarding a case he was working on. The quiet solitude was refreshing. Tom's earlier attempts to have Teddy join him for dinner and drinks at a local tavern this night were unsuccessful. Lauren had gone home early to change into formal eveningwear to attend an awards banquet honoring a former law professor of her alma mater.

The phone rang. It was Robert Hazelton. He asked Teddy if he could come by to have a chat. He explained he was busy, but Robert convinced him that his visit was important. Teddy reluctantly agreed.

He arrived about twenty minutes later. Teddy led him to his office. They both sat down after pleasantries and drink offerings.

"Robert, what is so important that you had to meet with me tonight?" Teddy asked with a defensive tone in his voice.

"Teddy, I understand that Tom Montane is a lawyer working in your firm, correct?" Robert asked.

"Yes, but how is that any of your concern?" he asked. His interest was cautiously piqued.

Robert's conversation began with his revelation that he was working incognito with the FBI to help them bring down a ring of organized crime that had surfaced in San Francisco. In exchange for his participation, the FBI assured him that his prison record would be expunged. He had served time for his involvement with this group and was willing to do what he could to bring them down. He also knew he was risking his life.

Teddy listened attentively. Robert also told him that Tom had hired Russell Hamilton to investigate him based on fabricated information. Teddy, rather surprised, asked him how he found out this information. Robert replied he didn't need to know.

"Robert, this information could be damaging because of Tom's association with my firm. What did he say to Russell that made him decide to investigate me?" Teddy wanted to know and wanted to know now.

"Teddy, apparently Tom has had it in for you for a long time. Unlike you, he lost credibility with his mob connections. He has a big mouth, especially when he's been drinking. Someone overheard him talking in a bar one night about his grandiose plans to bring you down and how it involved Russell. Russell was getting close to ratting you out for something you weren't even involved with. I suppose he was rubbed out to prevent any trouble from coming your way. If you want my opinion, Tom should have been the one rubbed out. Tom has a vile way of twisting information to destroy whomever he feels is preventing him from getting what he wants. You apparently have loyalties out there that you're not aware of. Also, I have one other thing to tell you."

"Yes?" Teddy replied.

"Lauren isn't who she appears to be. It seems she and Tom were in this charade together. I suspicion she is looking to take over Reed and Reed and will somehow make it so that your daughter Kate loses her place in your firm. I know you and Lauren have been married for a short time now, but had you any suspicions about her?" Robert liked Teddy and was a bit uncomfortable revealing this information to him about his wife.

"Lauren? No, I had no suspicions about her at all." Teddy was feeling betrayed. Perhaps if he and Lauren spent more time together he would have picked up on this. Much like his first marriage, he put his career first. As he digested this newfound information, he recalled having represented a few unsavory characters during his career regarding minor infractions, but had no idea that they practiced a code of protection for him. He was just doing his job. Apparently, he did his job well. He thanked Robert for the information and said that he'd be in touch. They shook hands and Robert left.

Now aware of the potential dangers of having Tom in his firm, Teddy knew he had to do something to get him out. However, considering the risky implications, this had to be handled with kid gloves. It all made perfect sense now, but Lauren? He poured himself a stiff drink. He immediately thought of his close confidant, Victor Hernandez, head of San Francisco's local FBI office. He made a mental note to call him tomorrow. He finished his drink, put away his work for the night, and left the office, locking up behind him. He hoped Lauren would get home very late as he had no desire to face her tonight. He also thought of Kate. He needed to do something to protect her position in Reed and Reed.

Teddy arrived early the next morning to meet with Victor Hernandez. He was feeling uneasy about Robert's information and its possible repercussions to his firm and wanted it known he will do whatever it takes to protect Kate's part of Reed and Reed if the information was true about Tom and Lauren.

"Teddy, good to see you," Victor said as he rose from his chair while extending his hand for a handshake. "Have a seat; it's been a long time old friend."

"Victor," Teddy replied as he shook his hand. "Yes, it has been a long time," Teddy replied as he seated himself comfortably.

"So, how can I help you?" Victor could see concern in Teddy's face.

Teddy told him of his conversation with Robert. He included information his accountants had uncovered regarding Tom's "cooked" books when he was preparing to buy Tom out. He also told Victor he didn't want Tom to know about his chat with Robert. He asked him about the possibility of investigating Tom without his knowledge.

Victor had listened attentively. When Teddy opened his mouth to continue to speak, Victor raised his index finger to his lips to indicate silence. He reached for a blank sheet of paper and wrote the words, _Meet me at McLaren Park near the duck pond at 6 p.m. today-we can talk more freely there_. Teddy took the note from him and silently read the words. Victor then said, "Teddy, the only thing I can say is I'll be happy to look into Tom's activities and see if there are any violations of Federal law."

He replied, "Thanks. I appreciate your help." He then rose from his chair in unison with Victor. They shook hands and Teddy left the office.

Teddy managed to get through the day without much contact with Tom. Lauren had not yet returned from a trial that began earlier in the day. She later called to say that she would be meeting friends afterwards for dinner and did he mind? He replied no, he didn't mind and for her to have a good time. It was 5:30 p.m. when he left the office to meet with Victor.

Victor arrived a few minutes before 6 p.m. to find Teddy standing near the edge of the duck pond watching the ducks.

"Teddy," Victor called.

"Hello," Teddy said as he walked towards him.

"Let's have a seat over there," Victor said pointing in the direction of a bench.

"Teddy, when you mentioned the name Robert Hazelton, I knew we couldn't talk in the office. Hazelton's involvement in our investigation is truly top secret. I'm concerned that he spoke with you at all about his role in it. There might be a breach of confidentiality on his part."

"Well, breach or no breach, I'm glad he came to speak with me. He's aware that he may be jeopardizing his safety by doing so. I worked very hard to build Reed and Reed into the law firm that it is today and I emphatically _refuse _to allow any low-life to jeopardize it."

"Ok, I get your meaning." Victor paused and then said, "To let you know, Tom_ is_ a person of interest in this case."

"When were you going to tell me?" Teddy said with frustration.

"The investigation is still in its early stages. There are aspects of the case involving Robert that I can't divulge just yet. I will tell you this; the accounting entry you mentioned is part of the ploy to keep Tom off the scent of the investigation. Robert volunteered to involve himself in a bogus extortion plot that would further verify Tom's propensity for illegal dealings. My plan was to bring you up to speed once we felt we were very close to snaring Tom. However, now that you've learned the basics of this case, it will still be a few more weeks before the investigation is solid."

"I have another concern, Victor. Robert revealed to me that my wife, Lauren, has been involved in a scheme to bring down Reed and Reed. I'd like her to be investigated regarding this matter also."

"As a matter of fact, she is being watched because of her previous employment with Tom. I haven't anything concrete regarding any illegal activities involving her, but I'll keep you apprised."

"I would appreciate that." Teddy's mind was racing a mile-a-minute. He knew that this revelation regarding Tom and especially Lauren had to be recorded somewhere and placed in a location that even they were not aware of. It would have to be a place where Kate could easily find it in the event something happened to him before the investigation was completed and before Tom or Lauren got wind of the FBI's investigation. His plan was successfully completed just before his death.

Kate didn't sleep very well. The events of the day before weighed heavily on her mind. She fell asleep wishing Teddy was still alive. She remembered dreaming of him walking ahead of her down a hallway. She followed him sensing he wanted to show her something. She woke up before finding out what it was.

She was getting ready for work when she came across the letter from David Smith. The events of yesterday distracted her from her plan to go to Donahue's Tavern to _have a talk with that so-and-so _after work. She planned to definitely do that today.

Kate arrived at Reed and Reed to find Lauren, of course, already in her office. She was on the phone which was a welcomed cause for Kate to continue to her office. Leo was busy keying in information on his computer and managed a "Good Morning" wave. As she walked into her office, she heard the sound of the printer as it began printing something that Leo was apparently working on. He walked into her office a few minutes later.

"Good morning, boss," he said in his usual upbeat manner. "I've got something for you," he said as he placed the printed papers on her desk.

"Good morning." Kate said as she picked up the papers to look at them. "What's this?"

"Information on David Smith. It's not much, though," he replied.

Kate read the first sheet, then the next. Her eyebrows began to furrow as she read. She whistled as she looked up from the papers and said, "I don't believe it!"

"It is unbelievable, yes?"

"Why would my dad give David Smith, a man whom I don't even know, this much money?" After a brief pause, she repeated, "My dad?" It was her intent to refer to Teddy as her dad for now to continue the façade. "This doesn't make sense." She looked up from the papers and said, "Thanks, Leo. It may not be much information, but it's interesting information. I plan to see Mr. Smith today after work. Maybe I'll get some answers."

"Want some company?" Leo asked.

"Naw. I've got this one." Kate was truly dumbfounded about this latest information about a man claiming to be her her biological father.

The day ran smoothly compared to yesterday. Lauren had been a busy bee all day while seemingly avoiding Kate. She left about an hour earlier than Kate without saying goodnight. She concluded Lauren had a lot on her mind and it probably had something to do with yesterday.

"See you tomorrow, Leo," Kate said as she left her office. "Got any plans for tonight?"

"Yep. I'm meeting with some friends for dinner before we go clubbin'."

"Well, have a good time! Don't drink too much, and don't drive if you do!" Kate replied.

"Yes, boss," Leo said wryly. "See you tomorrow."

Kate arrived at Donahue's Tavern and stood outside for a few minutes. She admired the design of the front door and saw that the architectural period of the building dated to the 1800s. She walked in and took a seat at the bar.

"Hello there. What'll it be?" Max asked as he walked towards her.

"Information," Kate replied with a smile.

"What kind of information do you want?" Max asked with suspicion.

"Is David Smith here?"

"Actually, no he isn't. He won't be back in town until next week. Is there something I can do for you?"

"No. I just came by to say hello. He's an old friend. I'll come back next week."

Max observed that she looked too young to be an 'old friend'. "I'll be glad to give him a message." He wanted to know why this pretty young lady was asking for David.

"No. No message. Thanks," Kate replied with a smile. She stepped down off the bar stool and walked out.

Max decided against calling David about this surprise visit. Besides, he's on vacation and this wasn't an earth shattering event. Max then returned to his duties as bartender, pouring a beer for a customer from the beer tap. He figured it was something that David would take care of once he returned. But he still couldn't help but wonder.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

It was the end of a long and a somewhat emotionally draining day for David and Veronica. They finished dinner without much conversation. They had decided on sandwiches as neither had much of an appetite. Each was sitting in a chair facing the fireplace, watching the flames, lost in thought. He had been thinking about her revelations earlier in the day and how much courage it must have taken her to trust him with the information. He glanced at her and noticed she looked tired. Her legs were bent to the side with her feet beneath her and her chin resting in the palm of her hand. He realized he was feeling tired and frustrated with their situation, but there was nothing to blame but the stifling confinement due to the bad weather. It had only been a little over 24 hours since they pooled their resources to wait out the storm. He was thinking about all of this when he heard Veronica call his name. He replied, "Hmm?" as his thoughts were interrupted.

"I'd like to go back to my cabin as soon as I can," she said as her gaze remained focused on the fire.

David replied slowly, "OK." He paused for a few seconds as he turned in her direction. "If you're sure that's what you want." He was disappointed but also felt he didn't have the right to question her decision. "I'll help you get your things back to your cabin, but you still may not be able to get back for another day or so because the snow is still rather deep and..." he paused realizing he was sounding somewhat condescending, "and, well, you know the challenges."

"Yes, I know. Thanks, I appreciate your help." She wasn't concerned whether her decision was ill-conceived. She was just tired and wanted to be alone where she could think things through. She was wrestling with her emotions as they pertained to David... she wanted to give him her heart, but she was still weighed down by the pain of her past. _Hell, _as she thought to herself_, this hasn't been a vacation...it's been a cathartic workout! _

As they sat quietly with their own thoughts, the electrical power returned. The humming of the central heating system could be heard and the ceiling light startled them as it came on.

"Well now," David said as he rose from his chair to go to the thermostat to turn it up for added warmth. "It's about time," he muttered to himself.

"Finally!" Veronica said in a loud whisper.

"I'll return the mattress to the bed so you can have the bedroom tonight."

"Thanks," she replied as she rose from her chair. She limped slightly, her ankle now on the mend, to the back porch to retrieve the few remaining food items that were being kept cold with the help of Mother Nature. She returned them to the now-working refrigerator. While she did this, David returned the mattress to the bedroom. He made the bed with the hope that it would be comforting to her when she retired for the night. It just felt like the right thing to do.

The return of electricity also meant hot water for the shower. Veronica was the first to take a shower—a long, hot one. She returned to the sitting room dressed in her pajamas where David was standing by the fireplace. She stifled a yawn and said, "David, I'm going to turn in early. Goodnight."

"OK. Goodnight and sweet dreams." he replied.

She returned a slight smile. She turned and limped away unaware that David's gaze was upon her. The thought of Veronica in a separate room tonight made him feel surprisingly empty. He realized he would miss her presence.

She smiled and shook her head slowly when she saw that the bed had been made. She crawled under the comfort of the blankets and soon drifted off to sleep.

David went to the kitchen and turned on the weather radio for the latest report of the next storm that had been predicted to be on its way. This report stated that the storm's impact was not going to be as serious as had been reported earlier and that the high temperature for Thursday would be a few degrees above freezing which would encourage a snow melt. With this bit of good news, he began to feel relaxed without the concern of a roof cave-in or of his routine of frequently replacing the fireplace logs during the night. He switched off the ceiling light in the sitting room. The only illumination was the glow from the fire. He sat in his chair, stretched out his long legs onto the ottoman, and crossed them at the ankles. Yawning, he raised his arms and proceeded to stretch his body. He folded his arms across his chest and looked over to the empty space that was once occupied by Veronica. He once again felt an ache of longing in his heart. He sighed and his thoughts wandered as he watched the flickering flames in the fireplace. It wasn't long before he fell asleep.

Veronica woke from a nightmare of the roof caving in. Once she calmed down after realizing that it hadn't really happened, she got out of bed and went to the kitchen to get a drink of water. She could see into the sitting room from where she was standing and saw that David was sleeping soundly, but without a blanket. She quietly limped in and removed a blanket from the other chair and laid it over him. As she turned away, David gently, but firmly, took hold of one of her wrists. She resisted at first, but then relinquished to being pulled down onto his lap. Her eyes were dark and reflected surprise. He continued to hold her despite her lack of an attempt to free herself. Their eyes were fixed intently on each another. He gently brought her face closer to his. Her breathing quickened. He began to kiss her, gently at first. Her response slowly matched his. As his kisses became passionate, she responded with the same intensity being unable to remember the last time she felt such abandonment of emotion.

"David," she whispered as she gently pushed herself out of their embrace. He groaned slightly. He didn't want to let her go. She struggled to stand up. He rose from his chair and stood quietly, looking with longing into her eyes. He pulled her gently to him. He could feel the beating of her heart against his chest as they embraced. She could feel his warm breath against her neck. After what seemed an eternity, she slowly stepped out of their embrace, took his hand, and led him into the bedroom. The rest of the night was filled with heated passion as each one fulfilled the other's desires. Neither of them cared about tomorrow. A combined spent force, they finally fell asleep at dawn, content in each other's arms.

Veronica awoke to the aroma of coffee. The sunlight of a new day was streaming through the slightly parted curtains hanging on the window of the bedroom. As she stretched, the memories of the night before slowly came forth. She wondered what would be going through David's mind this morning; did he regret what had happened the night before or would this be a new beginning for them? She turned her head in the direction of the sound of a knock at the door. David entered holding two cups of coffee.

"Good morning. Hope you slept well," he said softly as he walked to her side of the bed. She sat upright against the pillows holding the bed sheet close to the front of her to maintain a sense of decorum.

"I did, thank you," she replied as she took one of the cups from his hands. She said little, giving him the opportunity to be the first to bring up the topic of last night.

He sat down on the edge of the bed. He couldn't imagine a more beautiful sight than this woman in front of him. He was in love with her, but didn't want to say anything just yet; after all, she may not feel the same for him.

"M-m-m, this coffee's good," Veronica said as she sipped the hot liquid.

David continued to find himself lost for words. He had remembered her saying she wanted to go back to her cabin, but decided to not address that issue now. He was trying to think of what to say. "Veronica, I want you to know that last night meant more to me than it being just a one-night stand." He wanted her to believe him and hoped this would create some dialogue because he hoped she would feel the same way.

She set her coffee cup gently on the nightstand. She looked at David, thinking of what she should say, as she tucked the sheet beneath the area of her upper arms to maintain modesty.

"I want _you_ to know that I do not regret what happened last night," she replied looking into his brown eyes. She found it very difficult to focus on what she wanted to say. "You helped me realize that I was ready,"she said as her voice trailed off into a whisper, "to let you into my heart."

David took her hands into his. He looked into her green eyes and asked softly, "Where do we go from here?"

"Where do _you_ want it to go?" she replied in a whisper. She felt he should make that decision.

"Well, I don't think it should go any further until I've been totally honest with you."

Veronica felt her heart sink. She frowned and replied, "What do you mean?" She was finding it hard to control the emotions of confusion and irritation that was slowly rising. She began to pull her hands out from his grasp, but he continued to hold them firmly.

David saw her face getting red and then realized she misunderstood what he meant. "No, no. Oh god! I, I didn't mean I've not been honest about my feelings for you and about last night!" he said nervously. He kissed her hands. "I've fallen in love with you, Veronica," he said softly. He noticed her facial expression relax. "But there is something in my past that I feel you should know. You trusted me enough to tell me about your painful past involving Luke. It made me think long and hard about what I need to tell you."

Bewildered, but relieved, she replied, "David, I've fallen in love with you too," as she pulled her hands out of his grasp and touched his face with one while keeping the sheet in front of her with the other. "There's nothing that you could say that would change the way I feel about you."

He was pleased to hear her say that. He took a deep breath and sighed. He held her hand on his face and then kissed it gently. _Here goes_ _nothing _he thought to himself. He began by telling her of the twelve years he spent in prison and the reason for it. He described the prison environment. Even though it wasn't a hard core criminal's prison, it was incarceration just the same. He also made it very clear that his prison record had been expunged and all the benefits of an upright citizen and a military veteran had been restored. He continued by telling her more about his friendship with Teddy Reed that had begun when they were boys and had lasted until his recent death. He also told her about his relationship with Teddy's wife, Yvonne, during a particular two week period when Teddy was out of town. He stopped at that point to give her a chance to process this information that only very few people had privy to.

There was silence in the room. Veronica delayed her response to what she had been told in order to choose her words carefully.

"My heart goes out to you," she said as she reached for his hands. "I can't imagine sacrificing twelve years of my life in prison for _anyone_," she continued. "I've never had a friendship as close as that." She wished to make all his pain magically disappear. She also loved him more for confiding in her. "So, Yvonne was the woman you mentioned yesterday, yes?" she asked.

"Yes, but there's more." He released his hold of her hands, stood up, and walked towards the window. He parted the curtains to gaze out the window as he talked. "I'm the biological father of her daughter and her name is Kate."

Veronica could feel her mouth open slightly as she took in a quick breath.

David released the curtain. He crossed his arms and turned to face Veronica while leaning against the window frame. He noticed she had a mild look of surprise on her face. He continued. "Yvonne learned she was pregnant a month before she and Teddy were to be married. He assumed the baby was his. To my knowledge she didn't tell him otherwise. I obliged her by having a paternity test done secretly to verify that I was indeed the biological father. She had her own powerful friends of her family who made sure the secret would not be revealed. She asked me to stay out of her life and to not have any contact with Kate at all. That was the most heart wrenching decision I ever had to make." He nervously cleared his throat. "However, in her defense, she did send school and birthday pictures of Kate on a regular basis, even while I was in prison. It was during that time that she died. She was a good woman." He paused, then said, "In fact, the reason I made this trip was to get away after Teddy died. His death was unexpected and hit me hard. Before I left San Francisco, I sent a letter to Kate telling her everything. I felt that since Yvonne and now Teddy were gone, it was important thatshe be told about her true parentage. I can't imagine how she took the news. Teddy bequeathed some money to me, but I had the funds transferred to her name in the form of a bank's check and included that in the envelope with my letter. I told her I didn't want the money, that I felt she should have it."

Veronica asked him to toss her his shirt. As she put it on, he smiled at her efforts to be unnecessarily modest. She got out of bed and limped to stand with him by the window.

She looked up to his face. "David, you're a good and kind man. I can't imagine what Kate's response was to your letter, but I truly feel that once she's had time to think things through, she will eventually come around. But be prepared for her anger whenever she confronts you."

He embraced her and said, "I am concerned of her reaction to my being her biological father. In my letter I told her that I take full responsibility for what had happened, that she shouldn't think badly of her mother. I also told her that she had a better life and more opportunities with Teddy as her father than she would have had with me."

Veronica pulled slightly out of their embrace. "Don't sell yourself short, David! I think you would have made a great father had the situation been different, but I do have a question, though."

"Yes?" he replied. He could see a quizzical look in her eyes.

"It's all under the bridge now anyway, but I need to understand something. I think I understand your allegiance of your friendship with Teddy. But, knowing that Kate was your daughter, didn't that at some point make you think twice about the risks to not being in her life not to mention your reputation in your decision to take the fall? You could possibly have had Yvonne and Kate in your life while Teddy served time instead of you."

David thought for a moment. "I did think long and hard about my decision. Teddy's law career was well established and I didn't want there to be any disruption in Kate and Yvonne's lives. They were precisely the reason I took the fall even though Teddy was responsible for his own involvement, but Yvonne would have suffered a great deal more emotionally and financially had Teddy been the one to go to prison. Besides, she had had enough to deal with in concealing our secret while maintaining her façade. She hid it very well."

Veronica thought to herself; _so, he gave up his freedom for the love of a woman and their child_. She began to understand more about the character of this man standing in front of her. There had been so much adversity in his life and felt that he truly deserved to be happy. She placed her hand over his heart. "Nevertheless, I hope that eventually you will be able to have a decent relationship with Kate. It may take some time and it may not be like the Waltons," she said with a slight chuckle, "but perhaps it will be one where you both can find peace with what had happened."

David couldn't imagine loving Veronica more than he did at that moment. He brought her close to him again and held her tightly. He felt her tighten her arms around him. Before he knew it, they had made their way back to bed.

They decided to stay together at his cabin for the rest of their vacation, but it was going to be very difficult to part from each other when they had to go their separate ways. They had found each other—in the nick of time. But there was one thing each knew for certain; something special had happened and their lives had been changed— for the better.

* * *

><p>It was Friday and the end of a long and hectic work week. Kate left the office and picked up Chinese food on her way home. She sat down in her favorite chair in the sitting area of her small yacht and propped her feet on the small coffee table. As she ate, she pondered the nagging question of whether Teddy knew of Tom's illegal activities and, if he did, why didn't he tell her? She continued to mull this over when she suddenly remembered a conversation she'd had with him a couple of months before he died...<p>

"Kate, what are you doing for lunch?" Teddy asked as he entered her office. Lauren was out of town for a couple of days at a law seminar.

"Hey, Dad!" Kate replied as she walked around from behind her desk to embrace him. "I hadn't thought much about lunch; I thought I'd get a sandwich from a vendor across the street."

"How about joining me for lunch at a real restaurant with decent food, eh? My treat," he said as released her from his bear-hug embrace. He waited for her reply.

"That does sound good, considering that you're paying!" she replied with a chuckle.

"OK. Are you able to go now?" he asked.

"Sure, let's get outta here," she replied. She removed her purse from one of the desk drawers and took her father's arm as they walked out of the office.

They arrived at Delgado's Restaurant a few minutes later as it was within walking distance. They were escorted to their table. It was covered with a white linen tablecloth that had a small vase of water filled with colorful flowers set at the center of the table. A waiter soon appeared with their menus. He left them alone after filling their water goblets for a few minutes to allow them to peruse the offerings.

"Dad, when was the last time we had lunch together?" Kate asked in an attempt to make conversation as she considered the choices on the menu.

"It feels like it's been ages. We both have been so busy with our careers and our private lives that we seemed to have become disconnected along the way. By the way, how's Justin?" he asked as he took a sip of water.

"We're still trying to work things out," she said without looking up from the menu. She didn't want to elaborate on the details of her and Justin's unsuccessful attempts at reconciliation.

"Well, I hope things work out the way you want them to. I want you to be happy, whatever your decision may be." His tone was sincere.

Kate looked up from her menu. "Thanks, Dad. For the most part, I am happy. More importantly, though, how have you been? How are you and Lauren getting along?" Kate still hadn't developed a _friendship_ with Lauren despite the fact that it had been over seven years since she and her dad married.

"I've been doing well and Lauren and I are getting along fine. She has been a favorable addition to my life," he replied.

_A favorable addition? _Kate asked herself silently. "Well, that's good to hear," she replied with a forced smile.

Their topics of conversation were of a general nature; however, during their meal, Teddy asked her a question.

"Kate, if something happened to me, would you continue at Reed and Reed?"

Kate was surprised at his question. "Of course I would, Dad. I'm proud to be an integral part of our law firm. Besides, nothing's going to happen to you."

"Making you my partner was the right thing to do. Do you think you could operate the firm side-by-side with Lauren?"

"Sure, if she keeps to herself," Kate replied rather cynically. "Dad, why the morbidity? Is there something you want to tell me?" She was beginning to feel a slight panic.

"As far as my health is concerned, I'm fine. However, it's important that we discuss this inevitability. I worked long and hard to make Reed and Reed a successful venture. I just want to be sure that it will continue after I'm gone," which at that point, he added for reassurance, "which won't be for a long time yet."

"You can be assured that Reed and Reed will continue, even if it means working alongside with Lauren to do so."

"Good. There's one more thing," he said as he reached into his coat pocket. "You should have this." He placed a small key on the table in front of her. "This key is embossed with the number to a locker located at the airport that I want you to keep. You're the only person whom I can truly trust with this. If something happens to me, I want you to go to the locker and remove the contents. There are some important files in there that I've put away for safe keeping outside of our offices. I just want you to know that they exist. The files are for your eyes only!" Teddy said emphatically. "The continued existence of Reed and Reed may depend on them."

"Dad, I'm confused," Kate said as she put the key in her hand.

"Trust me, Kate. The information in the locker can be useful to you if you need it later." He felt some sadness at having to put her in this position, but he also felt better at having given this information to her.

"OK. Does anyone else know about this locker?" she asked with some hesitation.

"No, you're the only one. By the way, that is the only key, so put it in a safe place," he replied emphatically.

"Dad, is there something happening in the law firm that I should know about now? It sounds as if Reed and Reed may in trouble."

"I'm sorry if I've concerned you. No, it is solvent. My point is this; the information in the locker will protect _you_ if there is any attempt to remove you from your rightful place in the firm." He was serious but also attempted to be blasé.

"OK. I'll do what you want and I'll make sure I put this away for safe keeping," she said as she put the key in her purse. She looked up from her purse and said, "Dad?"

"Yes?" he replied.

"I love you. You can count on our law firm continuing way past my dotage," she said as she chucked lightly.

"I'm glad to hear it. I love you, too, darling. Now, let's finish our meal."

Kate's thoughts returned to the present. She was feeling excitement and fear at the same time. "Why didn't you remember thisearlier?" she muttered in frustration to herself. She rose from the chair and walked quickly to the small bathroom. She removed the small plastic light cover from the light fixture. There she removed the key that was securely taped on the inside. She also remembered she had securely hidden several computer disks belonging to Teddy that she secretly retrieved from the storage basement of Reed and Reed. They were taped just to the inside of an air vent passageway in her room. They would be left there for now. She removed the key and held it in her hand. It was getting late, but she decided to go to the airport as it would probably be quieter than if she went in the morning. She felt a part of a clandestine scheme.

She arrived at the airport parking lot and, after driving past several rows of cars, finally found a parking space. She locked her car and proceeded to the airport's main entrance. The locker was found and she unlocked it. Inside it she found an accordion folder filled with papers and a few computer disks. She took it out and locked the locker. She returned to her car, started it, and headed home. As she drove, she remembered David's statement in his letter that he didn't trust Lauren. She wondered if he knew something but was hesitant to reveal it in his letter. By all accounts, Teddy didn't trust her either. She hurried home, anxious to go through the files. She'd have the entire weekend to work on this project. She would call Leo tonight feigning a reason to cancel their plans in regards to researching David Smith. That would be put off for a little while. This new mission was far more important.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: This chapter is a lot longer than my previous chapters as it has been a while since my last posting. Hope you all enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 9<strong>

Kate had trouble getting to sleep, but finally succumbed to fatigue in the wee hours of the morning. She woke up around 9 a.m. remembering her planned task for the weekend. Deciding not to change out of her pajamas, she went straight to the galley of her small yacht and prepared a light breakfast consisting of black coffee—no cream nor sugar—and a slice of whole wheat toast smeared with blueberry jam. To take the extra effort to cook a full breakfast this morning would be too time consuming. She was a woman on a mission and was going to see it through.

She sat on the floor and emptied the gym bag of its contents. One of the three accordion folders found inside the bag was emptied, its contents spread onto a vacant spot onto the floor. The small coffee table had been placed against one wall of the room as it was too small for her project. As she sifted through the papers, she mentally noted the ones that were of interest to her and set those aside in a separate pile. As she chewed a bite of toast, she came across what appeared to be an appointment book belonging to Teddy. In it was a scheduled meeting he noted on a particular day to meet with "VH." _Who is 'VH?' _Kate thought to herself. She was very familiar with most of the clients of the firm, but these initials were unknown to her. She continued sifting through the papers when she found what looked like Teddy's handwritten account of another meeting, this time with someone named "RH." The mystery continued to build as she read;

"..._I am being betrayed by several close to me. It appears that L and T have been working together to deface my reputation as well as endangering the existence of my firm. I must find a way to tell Kate..." _She felt herself gasp. Other papers contained more handwritten notes that were just as unsettling.

A computer disk was found in its plastic case, but with no identifiable information written on it. She inserted the CD into her laptop and waited for the screen to reveal its contents. It was a video, but where it was shot she could not determine. The first scene that unfolded was of Tom and Lauren, easily recognized by Kate, leaving a hotel at daytime. She questioned in her mind when the video was taken and whether it had been taken before or after Lauren and Teddy were married. The next video revealed a nighttime scene involving a man whom Kate presumed to be Tom standing next to another man whom she did not recognize. The location of the video looked to be near a body of water. The men were standing on a concrete path softly illuminated by a single street light; however, the identification of the other man was difficult as he was shadowed by a nearby tree . There appeared to be a transfer of a large envelope between the stranger and he. There was no discernible audio nor digital dates on the images. She paused the image to resume her investigation of the handwritten notes. She began to read:

_I met with VH today to talk about RH; turns out he's involved in an FBI covert operation to bring TM down. I asked VH to include L in his investigation. He said she was already being watched. I have learned of L's betrayal. I must make a note to change my will as soon as possible...don't want L to inherit any of my fortune that rightfully belongs to my children. _

Kate's jaw dropped while confusion and questions entered her mind. "_Investigation?...Lauren?...Again, who is VH?...Who is RH?... change his will? _She concluded she'd have to contact Foster about this and quick! She continued to read:

_I'm writing this down in my own hand in the event I don't survive long enough to see this investigation through. With RH's help, L and T will be implicated in their attempt to steamroll my firm and Kate! RH was very forthcoming of his knowledge of L and T's plan to take over R&R. The only way that they'll take over is if they kill me. _

Kate felt tears welling in her eyes. To think that Teddy felt his life had been in danger was worrisome. She began to reflect on the day he died. The coroner said his death was due to a cerebral hemorrhage causing immediate death. She pondered this as she flipped through the rest of the stapled papers. They continued with Teddy's statements concerning the success of the investigation.

Kate reached for her cell phone to call her friend and criminal law attorney, Foster Branton. Her call went to voicemail. "Damn!" she muttered to herself. She left a message for Foster to return her call as soon as possible.

She put another disk into the laptop; this one was a video of Teddy speaking. _Dad covered all the bases!_ she thought to herself. As she watched, her phone rang.

"Hello?" Kate answered, pausing the video.

"Kate! It's Foster. Your message sounded urgent. What can I help you with?"

"Foster, thanks for returning my call so soon. When is the earliest that I can meet with you? I have something of great concern that I must discuss with you in person."

"Kate, are you alright?"

"Yes, thanks. I can't go into any detail, but I must meet with you."

"OK. I'm on my way to my office now to catch up on some work. Can you meet me in 30 minutes?"

"Yes! Thank you, Foster. I'll see you then."

"Good...see you later!"

Kate ended the call with a sigh of relief. She returned the papers and other disks to the empty accordion folder. The disk with a video of Teddy would remain in the laptop as she would also take that with her. It felt safer having all this information in her possession. The folders were returned to the gym bag. She quickly showered and dressed and was on her way.

She entered through the front entrance of Foster's law firm with ease as he left the front door unlocked anticipating her arrival. His firm was located just a few miles south of Reed and Reed Law Firm. She made her way into his office.

"Kate, it's good to see you!" Foster said as he stood up from his chair to greet her.

"Thanks for seeing me on such short notice, Foster. I didn't know who else to call." She sat down in one of the brown leather chairs facing his desk.

"...Sounds serious," he replied. "Make yourself comfortable while I lock the front door."

He returned quickly and noticed a worried look on her face.

"Foster, I've come across some very delicate information involving my father." She still found it hard to break the habit of not referring to Teddy as "father" or "Dad."

"Let's have a look," he said as he sat down in his chair. He observed a gym bag in her lap.

"I should give you the information a little at a time. It's quite overwhelming." Kate felt her hands shaking.

"OK, then," he replied. "Let's get started."

She unzipped the bag and removed the accordion folder that held the contents she'd looked at earlier, then placed the bag on the floor next to her chair.

"Dad had apparently compiled all these records over a period of time," she said as she handed Foster the stack of papers containing the information that had alarmed her.

His eyebrows furrowed as he read. He whistled and said, "Kate, this is incriminating information! I assume 'L' is Lauren?"

"Yes, that's also my assumption and I believe 'T' refers to Tom Montane. I suppose you've heard the latest regarding him," she said sardonically.

"Yes, unfortunately I have. I think I recognize the initials 'VH'. Considering the word 'investigation' being used in the same context, I believe 'VH' is Victor Hernandez, the head of San Francisco's FBI office. He's a good man. I've worked with him on a couple of cases in the past."

"The FBI?" This new information was nerve wracking. "Do you recognize the initials 'RH'?"

"No, but I would imagine Victor knows who he is." He continued to read. "Kate, this sentence, presumably written by your dad, where he states that he feels he should change his will," Foster paused for a moment and looked up from the paper. "This could get messy."

"There is no presumption, Foster. That handwriting belongs to Dad!" Kate replied emphatically.

"Kate, you know how the law is. These handwritten notes have to be analyzed and compared with other examples of his handwriting to prove that it is your Dad's. I'm not trying to be difficult, but..."

"I know, I know," she replied nodding her head. "I've been having a difficult time dealing with Dad's death, and now this!" Kate continued to tremble. "Foster, I have to tell you of a conversation Dad and I had a few weeks before he died." She went on to tell him about the key and the airport locker. Foster listened attentively. "I'm now wondering if Dad felt his life was in danger given the fact that he felt it prudent to give me the locker key to remove the gym bag 'just in case.' His words, not mine. I have to tell you something else."

"Yes?" Foster had a bad feeling about this, but didn't want to alarm her.

"After the FBI left our offices last week, I went to the basement storage area and took some papers and computer disks that I had put away for storage after Dad died. I haven't had a chance to go through those yet."

"I don't see that as a problem. If the FBI wanted the information, they would have taken it...wait..." He was thinking as he talked. "Considering _if_ the information I've read is true and Victor and your dad had their meeting, Victor may have expressed explicit orders to not disturb any of Teddy's belongings." Foster paused for a moment. "Wow! This is beginning to sound like a spy novel!" He took a deep breath. "Kate, I don't want any of this information left in my possession. Perhaps you should return it to the airport locker for safe keeping. I strongly recommend that you also have some security. Your physical safety could be compromised." He returned the papers to her.

Kate blinked and stared wide-eyed. "My god! Do you really think so?" She felt fear for the first time since meeting with Terry all those weeks ago. She returned the papers to the folder in her lap.

"Kate, I am friends with the Chief of Police, Don Tyler. I also know Victor. I'll call them now and find out what can be done to protect you. Remain seated as I don't want you to leave my office just yet." Foster began making his phone calls. He found himself truly concerned for Kate's welfare.

She continued to tremble. She pondered all the implications that Teddy's notes made as well as the FBI's covert investigation that Foster believed was taking place. She felt she was losing her grasp of everything she ever knew about Teddy. She had so many questions, but he wasn't alive to answer them.

Foster completed his calls. The Chief of Police said he'd call back with details of his plan for Kate's protection as soon as he had one in place. Victor Hernandez would be out of town for the weekend, but an appointment was made to meet with Foster first thing Monday morning to discuss the details regarding the investigation of Tom and Lauren.

"The ball is rolling, Kate. I'd like you to come with me Monday morning to meet with Victor. Will you be able to schedule that without Lauren becoming the wiser?"

She thought for a moment and replied that she'd feign a meeting with a client outside the office.

"Good." He leaned back into his leather desk chair. "Kate, I have a question to ask and I want you to think very hard."

She looked at him and could hear the apprehension in his voice. "Ok, shoot."

"Have you noticed anyone following you or anyone loitering around near your yacht or the marina lately that looked suspicious?"

"No. I've had no reason to be wary of my surroundings, but now..."

"Think back, Kate. If you can remember anything, no matter how trivial, it might be helpful."

She thought for a few moments, but was unable to come up with anything. "Foster, considering what Teddy was apparently going through, I'll certainly make it a point to be more careful."

"I don't want you going anywhere alone and I mean it!" He said this with love and concern for his friend.

"Foster?" Kate asked.

"Yes?"

"What if I have to go the bathroom?" Kate said in a mocking tone.

"Alright now, this isn't the time to be flippant!" He smiled at her humorous attempt to lighten the anxiety-filled atmosphere. "I imagine the Chief's plan will involve an undercover officer being posted around the clock to protect you and to watch for any unusual activity near your yacht."

Kate and Foster changed the subject and talked about their lives and current events while they waited to hear from the Chief. As they talked, the phone rang.

"Hello? Foster Branton here."

"Foster, this is Don."

"Yes, Don. Give me the lowdown." He wanted answers quickly.

"OK. I have three officers that will be involved with Kate's security. One will be with her more frequently than the other two. Those two will be hanging out in the shadows, so to speak, keeping an eye out for any suspicious movements near her office and her yacht. Is she still with you?"

"Yes, I made sure she remained in my office with me until we heard from you. When is the security to begin?"

"Actually, an officer should be arriving at your office any minute now. His name is Lieutenant Jeffrey Martin." Don continued with a description of him. "He's one of my top men. How long do you anticipate needing security for Kate?"

"I will be talking to Victor Monday morning, so I should have a better idea then. Thanks for your help, Don. I'll be in touch."

"You're welcome. Let's get together for a round of golf sometime soon. My handicap has improved which should give you reason to shiver in your golf shoes!" he said laughing.

"You wish!" Foster replied with a laugh. "We'll see who'll be shivering in their shoes!"

"OK. I'll talk to you Monday. Please ensure Kate that she'll be well taken care of." Don had known Teddy and was familiar with his reputation as a tough and well-respected attorney.

"I will...talk to you later." Foster ended the call and filled Kate in on the information Don provided. She didn't seem relieved.

"Foster, are you sure that these guys know what they're doing? My life could be at stake!" She wasn't comfortable in relinquishing control of her own safety to people whom she didn't know very well.

"Kate, Don assured me that the men he chose for this operation are his top guys. You'll be watched wherever you are. These guys are trained for this type of detail. I know it's not easy for you, but you're going to have to find a way to accept this temporary intrusion into your life."

They heard several knocks at the front door. "I'll be right back," Foster said as he got up from his chair.

When he arrived at the front door, he looked outside from a side window and saw a man in plain clothes fitting the description Don gave of Lieutenant Martin. He opened the door.

"Hello. I'm Lieutenant Jeffrey Martin," the man said showing his law enforcement photo ID. "I assume you're Foster Branton?" he said as he extended his hand to shake Foster's.

"Yes, you're correct. It's good to meet you Lieutenant. Please come into my office and have a seat." He relocked the front door and followed the Lieutenant into the office.

"Lieutenant Martin, this is Kate Reed. Kate, this is Lieutenant Martin." Kate looked up at this six foot plus, Marine-built physique with as much composure as she could muster.

"It's nice to meet you Lieutenant," she said as she lightly shook his hand. She eyed him cautiously.

"Likewise, ma'am," he replied. "Please call me Jeffrey." He noticed a gym bag on the floor next to her chair and saw that she was clutching a thick accordion folder as he sat in the leather chair next to her. He began to speak.

"I have been apprised by Chief Tyler of your situation. I am in charge of this operation and I want to assure you that our taskforce is in place and you will be safe at all times."

He observed Kate's reaction as he spoke. "While our task will be to protect you from harm, Miss Reed, you will be responsible to be forthcoming regarding your daily schedule. I also want to be made aware of any last minute changes that may occur. While we do not expect to lose sight of you at any time, we demand that you cooperate with us regarding your whereabouts. Understood?" He was very formal in his demeanor. There was no flippancy from this man.

"Did you memorize all that?" she replied in a demeaning tone. Foster shot her a glance as if to say, _Alright, you. Behave!_

"Yes, I understand. In other words, my life will not be my own and I must follow the rules," she replied with sarcasm.

"Miss Reed, this is a serious matter, perhaps more serious than you are aware of. If we are to work together, we're going to have to find a middle ground of civility towards each other. I will treat you with the utmost respect and I expect the same from you." His eyes were fixed on hers and the expression on his face revealed he meant what he said. Foster leaned back resting his right elbow on the arm of his chair while covering a grin on his face with his right hand as he watched Kate's defiance being tested. "Do we understand each other?"

"Yes, but I'm letting you know right now that I am not happy being in this position." She was frowning and her brown eyes had become darker.

"I'm sure you're not, but your safety is my top priority." Jeffrey took a deep sigh and turned to talk to Foster.

"Mr. Branton, I understand that the FBI may also be involved in this operation. Have they contacted you with any details of their role in this matter?"

"Please, call me Foster. No, there have been none. I expect to hear from Victor Hernandez Monday morning. I should have more details then."

"Very good." He stood up from his chair and looked down at Kate. "Miss Reed, are you ready to leave?"

"Do I have a choice?" she replied sardonically.

"K-a-t-e," Foster responded with some irritation. "Let's play nice." He stood up and walked around from behind his desk.

"Alright," she replied. "Yes, I'm ready to leave." She stood up and faced Foster. "Thank you, I think," she replied with continued irritation as she extended her hand to shake his.

"Kate, I'll call you tonight." He shook her hand, then offered a handshake to Jeffrey.

"Jeffrey, thank you for your assistance." Foster placed his other hand on Jeffrey's shoulder, looked him in the eye, and said softly, "I want a positive outcome in this matter. Kate's a good friend of mine."

Jeffrey tightened his grip slightly. "Sir, you can be assured of that," he replied emphatically. Foster then left to unlock the front door.

Kate returned the folder to the gym bag. Jeffrey stepped aside allowing her to walk ahead of him out of the office. Foster smiled as he watched them leave. He shook his head knowing Jeffrey was going to have his hands full with that one.

She entered her car and placed the bag on the passenger seat. She looked at her rear view mirror to find that Jeffrey was in his car waiting for her. She started the engine and proceeded to drive out of the parking space onto the street towards home. She noticed Jeffrey didn't follow too closely, but she was certain he had her car in his sights.

She arrived at her parking spot at the marina parking lot. Jeffrey parked his vehicle nearby as the lot was almost full. He met her at her car and escorted her to her yacht. She was uncomfortable, but knew rationally that this was the best way to do this.

They entered the small sitting room, Jeffrey ducking the top of the entryway as he entered to avoid hitting his head.

"Have a seat. Would you like some coffee?" She asked. She managed to muster some politeness.

"Don't go to any trouble. I would really like to talk. I've found it's important to get to know the person whose life I'm protecting."

"Oh, it's no trouble. It's past lunch time too and I'm famished. I'm not a very good cook. Perhaps we could order in." She was trying very hard to be civil.

"OK. That sounds like a good idea. What restaurant do you order your food from on a regular basis? It's important to maintain normalcy."

"I love Chinese food. Mai Ling's is the best. I usually call in my order and pick it up," she replied. "The lobster in shrimp sauce is to die for, no pun intended." She found herself smiling. "They also have really good spring rolls."

"Do they deliver?"

"Yes, I believe they do, but I usually pick up my order. Should I continue to do that as part of my 'normal' routine?" She wanted to have some idea of what she should and shouldn't do.

"Yes, it would be prudent for you to continue that. If anyone asks, I'm your cousin from Milwaukee and I've just moved to San Francisco, ok?"

"O-K," she replied slowly. _That one's really for the books_ she thought to herself. "What would you like to order?"

"My favorite is sweet and sour chicken. I'd like that with an eggroll and a separate order of shrimp fried rice and green tea, please. By the way, you'll be reimbursed for all expenses incurred while you're under our protection."

"That's good to know," she replied as she picked up the phone to order their meal. A few minutes later, they were on their way.

They arrived back to the yacht soon thereafter. Their conversation was intermittent while they ate.  
>"How long will you be staying with me today?" Kate asked as she had to return the gym bag to its hiding place, but only after Jeffrey left.<p>

"For a couple of hours. I have a date this evening so I'll have to leave no later than 5."

"I see." Kate stood up from her chair and walked to the kitchen to get a bottled water. "Would you like a bottled water?" she asked him as she reached for the door of the small refrigerator.

"No thanks. I still have some tea left." He watched her as she returned from the small galley.

"I wonder what cousins would have to talk about," she asked.

"Oh, probably the usual 'How is Aunt Maureen?' or 'How is Uncle Jake?'"

"Are those the names of your parents?" She asked while trying to find the humor in their conversation.

"Naw, just names made up for our _cousin_ conversation," he replied with a smirk.

"Well, let's change the subject, shall we?"

"OK. What shall we talk about then?"

"You pick a topic." She found herself curious about his interests.

"Do you like sports?" he asked. She looked rather athletic.

"I play tennis whenever I can."

"I like rugby. Some friends and I get together to play on occasion. Much like you, my schedule is not very flexible."

"Rugby, eh? That's a rather dangerous sport. Have you ever been injured?"

"Not seriously. I did sustain a hairline fracture of one of my wrists, but that was all."

Kate and Jeffrey continued their conversation. She found him somewhat companionable.

He watched Kate as she talked, noticing her dark brown eyes light up when she talked about her tennis exploits.

She noticed It was almost 5 o'clock when Jeffrey stood up from his chair. "I should be going now. Say, since tomorrow's Sunday, why don't we do something together. What would you suggest as entertainment for your _cousin _who's just moved here?" he asked smiling.

"I don't know...you're the _cousin_. Is there someplace you'd like to visit?"

"Why don't we go to the waterfront pier and do some fishing!"

"You've got to be kidding! I've never fished a day in my life!"

"It's about time, don't you think? And afterwards, we can grill what we catch!" He was surprised at how he was beginning to look forward to their outing.

"How about this...you fish, I'll watch."

"I'll bet that by the time we leave the pier tomorrow you will have caught at least one fish."

"In your dreams!" Kate heard herself laugh. "By the way, how does your girlfriend deal with your occupation. She must be a very understanding person."

"My girlfriend?" Jeffrey asked with some confusion. "Oh, no," he replied shaking his head as he waved away her comment. "Tonight's a blind date set up by one of my buddies and his wife. So, I'll see you in the morning around 9. How does that suit you?"

"I'd rather sleep in, but I guess I have no choice in the matter." She really didn't mind, but she had hoped to go through more of Terry's papers stowed in the gym bag to see what more she could find before returning it to the airport locker. It would probably be a very long night.

"OK, I'll see you at 9. Sleep well," he said as turned to walk toward the front door of the cabin. He ducked as he exited through the doorway.

"Goodnight. See you in the morning."

Finally alone, she decided against going through Terry's papers and to adhere to Foster's advice to return the gym bag to the airport locker. She waited about a half hour after Jeffrey left before leaving. Within an hour or so she had returned to her small, but comforting abode. She had looked for the two security men who were assigned to watch her as she drove into the marina parking lot, but saw no one. She concluded they were around somewhere, incognito.

It had been an emotionally exhausting day. She noticed the light blinking on her answering machine and listened to the message. It was from Foster. She returned his call as he wanted to be sure she was ok. They talked briefly, promising to keep in touch.

Kate walked outside around to the back of the yacht which faced the bay. Her only companion was a glass of wine. She sat in a small chair on the deck of her yacht to watch the sunset which was her favorite time of day. The colors in the sky were light orange and pink, promising a fair day tomorrow. She propped her bare feet onto the railing and watched as other boaters returned from having been out either fishing or water skiing. She thought about the events that had occurred over the past few weeks and how her life had been altered. The hits just kept coming and, it appeared, there was no relief in sight.

It was dinner time, but her appetite didn't warrant a heavy meal. She walked back inside to nuke a frozen dinner. That and a couple more glasses of wine later, she dressed for bed and crawled under the warmth of her comforter. She laid in bed continuing to think about the events of the day while remembering she still had to deal with the David Smith issue. That was going to be a difficult task to handle privately now that security had been assigned for her safety. As she contemplated those concerns, she could feel the gentle rocking of her yacht. Within a few minutes, she was sound asleep. _

Sunday arrived with blue skies and lots of sunshine streaming from the sky illuminating the bedroom. David woke to find that Veronica wasn't beside him. He stretched and yawned and sat up for a few moments to wake up. He heard noises emanating from outside at the back of the cabin. After getting dressed, he padded down the hallway to look through the kitchen window to see what all the commotion was about. Veronica was loading her luggage and the items taken from her cabin to weather the snow storm into her vehicle. David was confused as they had agreed to spend the rest of their vacation together, which wasn't to end for a couple more days.

He watched as she continued her task. From what he could see, she didn't look upset or angry. She was a hard one to figure. She turned to walk back into the cabin, pausing to stomp her feet on the porch to loosen stuck muddy snow from the bottom of her boots. David proceeded to find something to do. He placed a water-filled coffee pot on the stove's gas burner to heat and set two mugs on the table.

"Good morning, David," Veronica said half-smiling as she entered the kitchen.

"Good morning," he replied as he turned away from the stove. He observed her as she removed her coat and gloves. "Do you wanna tell me what's going on?" he asked as he rested against the kitchen counter, his arms folded in front of his chest, and his long legs crossed at the ankles. He found himself holding his breath, unsure of her answer.

"I, I know we talked about staying together for the rest of our vacation," she said as she slowly walked to stand next to him, "but I saw on my cell phone that I'd missed a call earlier this morning from my neighbor. She left a voice mail stating I needed to return her call, that it was urgent."

"Bad news?"

"There was a fire at my restaurant last night. Fortunately, the damage was confined to the area in the back where supplies are stored. The fire marshal suspicions that the cause of the fire was due to faulty wiring. I need to go home."

"From the looks of things, you're ready to leave. Is there anything else you need to do that I can help with?" He wanted to be helpful, but he was still reeling from her impromptu exit preparations.

"No. Once I unload everything back into my cabin and return the key, I'll go straight to the airport for my flight home."

"Oh, I assumed you drove here. A flight...that's good. You'll get home quicker." His attempt at optimism was only to mask his disappointment. "I'll be glad to help you unload the cabin stuff."

"Thanks. I've also notified the cabin park manager of my predicament. He was rather kind."

"That's good to hear." He didn't know what else to say.

"My flight leaves in three hours." Her eyes reflected sadness. "David, there's so much I want to say."

"Hey, I understand. You have to get home to deal with the fire issue." He shifted his weight to face her. "I just wish we could have these last couple of days together like we planned, but things do happen." God, he wanted the empty feeling in his heart to disappear. "Listen, I'll be glad to turn in your key. That should save you a little time."

"Thank you," Veronica replied softly. Oh, how she hated leaving this man. He was the most man she'd ever known. And she loved him so.

They were silent for what seemed an eternity. Their eyes communicated what words could not express. Soon, David broke the silence. "Well, we should be going if you're going to make your flight on time."

They proceeded to her cabin and in a matter of only a few minutes the cabin linens and other items were unloaded and placed within. They walked out to the front porch. He watched her as she locked the front door.

"I'd like to follow you to the airport to steal a few more minutes with you before your flight leaves." His attempt at light flirtation didn't make him feel any better. He felt like a love sick pup.

"I'd like that too, but it might be better to say good-bye here." She handed him her cabin key. He placed it in his jeans pocket.

David heaved a deep sigh while managing a slight smile. He ran his hands through his hair as a matter of nervousness more than anything else.

Veronica promptly wrapped her arms around his waist. He embraced her tightly. "Oh, Veronica." He lowered his head to her shoulder and kissed her neck. "I'll never forget our time together here...never."

She turned her head to meet him face to face. "I hope what we've had together won't end here."

He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her gently at first, then with increased passion. He embraced her again with one arm around her shoulder while cupping the back of her head with the other hand. With slight emotion in his voice, he replied, "No, it will not end here. We'll figure all this out."

Tears welled in Veronica's eyes. She barely managed to maintain her composure. "I want you to promise me that we'll keep in touch, often. We live only a few hours from each other, you know." She pulled slightly out of their embrace to look up into his face. She saw glistening of tears in his eyes. "I'll also never forget our time here. It will always be a precious memory for me and will remain close to my heart. I love you, David Smith." She reached up to touch his face.

"I love you, Veronica Myers." He took her hand in his and kissed it. "Please call me when you get home to let me know you made it home safely, ok?" he asked softly, still holding her hand.

"Will do." She squeezed his hand to emphasize her reply and didn't let go until she stepped off the porch. She stood for a moment to take in the sight of this wonderful man standing helplessly on the porch. Then she turned, entered the SUV, and started the engine. As she drove off, she stuck her arm out the open car window and waved good-bye. David could only stand motionless as he watched her drive away.

His walk back to his cabin was emotionally labored. He entered through the back door and was faced with a deafening silence. He decided, at that precise moment, that he couldn't stay a day longer, so began packing his belongings.

The food that remained in the refrigerator was discarded. He would take the canned goods and unopened non-perishable food to the cabin park manager for donation to a local food bank. His explanation for leaving early was that there was an issue at his tavern in San Francisco that he had to deal with, the issue being a robbery. He wondered if the cabin park manager actually believed his story, but dismissed that concern quickly. Within an hour, he was on his way.

David arrived home late the following evening. He'd spent the previous night in Utah as he had done on his way to Colorado. Veronica called that same evening to say she had arrived home safely. The repairs to the damaged supply room of her restaurant would begin in a few days pending the insurance claim settlement. They spoke of their love for each other and reminisced about their time together, each promising to call the other at least every other day or so.

It was late, but he called Max anyway to let him know he was home and that he'd be at the tavern in the morning. Max chastised him for not taking his full vacation. David replied he'd enjoyed his time away, but missed everyone so much that he had to return early. Max harrumphed this excuse, but let it go. He almost told David of the young woman who came to the tavern looking for him, but decided it could wait. They bade each other goodnight and rang off.

It was Thursday, four days since David and Veronica went their separate ways, and, as usual, it had been very busy at the tavern. David found solace in his work, but misery found him at night. He and Veronica called each other as promised, which temporarily eased the loneliness. During a phone call the night before, they agreed to spend the weekend at his place which gave them both something to look forward to. Veronica informed him during this phone call that she was bringing something special for him and hoped he'd like it. He replied that _she's _the something special and that he'd really like it when she arrived. She replied with "Aww" and thanked him, but explained she was bringing an _item_ for him other than herself. He prodded her to find out what it was, but she just laughed and said he'd have to wait and see. Playfully disappointed, he conceded to her command.

David told Max about his weekend visitor without elaboration. Max raised his eyebrows and slapped him good-naturedly on the shoulder, then gave him a "man hug." All kidding aside, he was happy that his longtime buddy had found someone special. He wanted to know more, but David maintained confidentiality out of respect for Veronica. He wasn't one to kiss and tell.

Friday arrived and David left the tavern later in the afternoon in good hands. Veronica was to arrive in the early evening, so he stopped at his favorite supermarket to stock up on groceries, including the food items for his romantic dinner for them on this night. Earlier in the week he stopped by a bath and body store and bought her a welcome gift basket filled with bewitchingly scented body wash, candles and other items. He was sure she'd be bringing her own toiletries, but he wanted her to feel welcomed and special.

Tall white candles were included in his supermarket purchase as well as candle holders, items he didn't possess. He felt so lighthearted even he couldn't stand himself. Veronica estimated that she would arrive around 7-ish which gave him plenty of time to start dinner—baked wild caught salmon, baked potatoes, cooked organic carrots lightly sweetened with organic honey, and a heavenly California Chardonnay from his collection at the tavern. Afterwards, it would be coffee for him, tea for her, and a decadent chocolate cake for dessert; that is, if they got that far. He had other things in mind.

An hour or so later, the doorbell rang. David rushed to the door, opened it, and stopped in his tracks. It wasn't Veronica. He stood motionless, unable to say a word.

"David Smith, I presume?" the nice looking young woman asked.

"Y-e-s, and you are..." He recognized her, but waited instead for her to identify herself.

"My name is Kate Reed, Mr. Smith." She extended her hand to shake his.

"Nice to meet 'cha," he replied as he shook her hand. "Can I help you with something?" He remembered the letter he'd sent to her before leaving for Colorado and wondered if her appearance now had something to do with that. It wasn't a good time for this now.

"I apologize for coming here without prior notice. I had stopped by your tavern last week to be told that you were out of town. Do you have a few minutes?"

"Actually, this is rather inconvenient as I am expecting an out of town guest any minute now." He wanted to talk to her, but then again he didn't. He'd wondered how long it would be before she searched him out. Max had told him that a young woman came to the tavern looking for him, but he didn't figure on it being her.

"I'll make it brief. May I come in?"

"Yes, of course." He stepped aside to let Kate in. He closed the door while momentarily closing his eyes and breathing out a long breath through tight lips at the same time.

He turned and motioned for her to enter the living room. "Please, have a seat. Can I get you something, a drink perhaps?"

"No, thank you. I'll get to the point," she said as she sat down on the leather sofa. "My visit here is in regards to the letter you sent me about two weeks ago."

She displayed no emotion, rather dead pan actually. David remained standing with his hands in his jeans' pockets.

"Mr. Smith, I have to tell you that your letter pulled the rug right out from under me. I'm still dumbfounded its contents. The check hasn't been cashed, yet. I haven't decided what to do with it much less had any time to do anything with it, if truth be told." She had other things going on...court hearings, meetings with Foster and Victor Hernandez, being shadowed by the undercover cops, and treading ever so lightly around Lauren while maintaining a "I'm-going-to-keep-my-eye-on-you,-but-you-won't-kn ow-that-I'm-keeping-my-eye-on-you" façade." She was a bundle of nerves.

"First of all, I'm here to let you know I'm not looking for a father-daughter relationship with you. As far as I'm concerned, Teddy Reed was and always will be my father. _You, _however, were just my mother's sordid lover." The look in her eyes was defiant and reflected hardness.

That comment struck through him like a hot knife. He expected bitterness from her, but this stabbed him royally. He made damned sure he was going to say his peace.

"Now you hold on just one minute, Miss Reed," he replied. He stepped in closer to where she was sitting and looked down in her direction, his eyes fixed on hers. Her eyes didn't blink. "Are you implying that your mother was a...?" He looked up toward the ceiling to take in a breath for he couldn't bring himself to say the word. He looked back locking his gaze on her again. "What a vulgar comment! How _DARE YOU _judge your mother and I!" Fighting all temptations to bellow out his words, he continued in a low, deep, and methodical tone. "I was much more to your mother than an illicit lover! And she was much more to me! We knew we didn't have a future together due to our circumstances. Despite what your distorted opinion of this issue is, I truly _loved_ her and had the utmost respect for her. Our relationship was NOT a cheap affair, missy! It was a genuine, loving relationship." His anger was beginning to rear its ugly head. He stopped for a brief moment, then concluded while pointing at her for emphasis, "_YOU_ should be so lucky to have someone to love you as much!" She looked away. He stepped back and waited for her next move._ Oh, If only you were a man_...

Silence filled the room. He said what he needed to say in order to defend Yvonne. It didn't matter whether Kate believed him.

She continued to show no emotion, one way or the other. _God, what a cold little twit, _he thought to himself.

Kate looked back at him with continued defiance while maintaining an even tone to her voice. "Another reason I came here was to see what you looked like, to put a face to a name. You said in the letter that you have proof that you're my biological father. I really don't care. It's of no consequence to me." She paused for a moment allowing that statement to sink in. "I have _no_ plans for us to ever see each other again." She took in a quick breath. "You also said in the letter that you weren't asking for my forgiveness. Well, I'm glad, because that will never happen! I've gotten this far without you in my life and I'm sure I'll be able to continue to forge ahead without you."

That was her final verbal dagger. She stood up and looked at David for a few seconds, then said, "I'll be going now. I'll see myself out." She turned away and walked out the front door, closing it behind her.

As the door closed, he sat down hard onto the edge of the sofa looking at nothing in particular and mumbled to himself, "You certainly are not like your mother...or me for that matter!"In reality, he hadn't expected a warm greeting from Kate whenever he contemplated their first encounter, but this?

He lowered his head and sighed deeply while making a futile attempt to dismiss the infuriating emotion that had risen inside of him. His forearms rested on his thighs with his hands clasped together. As he sat, he remembered Veronica saying that it might take a long time, if ever, for any kind of relationship to develop between he and Kate. He doubted it would ever happen now.

_Oh, damn!_ he thought to himself. _Veronica's going to arrive any minute!_ He knew at once he had to pull himself together for his sake and particularly for the sake of their anticipated weekend together. She would be told about Kate's visit, but not tonight. Tonight was intimately for Veronica. No one or anything was going to ruin that!


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Well, folks, this is the final chapter of my story. This was my first attempt at writing fan fiction. Thanks to all of you who have read it in its entirety. **

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><p><strong>Chapter 10<strong>

David did his best to calm himself. The altercation with Kate was unexpected and unwanted. However, Veronica was on her way and he had to lower his anxiety level. If she were to sense his current mood, it would cause unnecessary concern and ruin their evening.

He proceeded to the kitchen to check on dinner, being kept warm, perfectly timed with Veronica's expected arrival. He soon found himself slowly returning to his upbeat self as he refocused on her arrival while "pushing" the earlier unpleasant event way back into the recesses of his mind to be dealt with later.

As he was lighting the logs in the fireplace, the doorbell rang. His heart skipped a beat as he took long strides to the front door. He took in a deep breath as he turned the knob. Yes, this time it was Veronica standing on the other side of his front door. She greeted him with a big smile and stepped quickly toward him wrapping her arms around his neck. He gladly reciprocated her physical display of affection by wrapping his arms tightly around her and lifting her up. Her squeals of delight and his laughter echoed in the night air.

As he lowered her to a standing position, they each gently pulled from their embrace to face the other.

"It's so good to see you," David said as he held her face in his hands. "It's been such a long week!"

"Oh, David. I'm so glad to see you, too. It was all I could do to contain my excitement about this weekend!" she breathlessly replied.

"Here, let me take your luggage." He then stepped aside saying, "Come on in." She entered the foyer while taking in the décor of his home. She liked it; masculine and cozy. He entered behind her as he rolled her luggage inside and proceeded to close the front door.

"Hey, you," he said softly as he took a step towards her. "Come here." She turned to face him in response to his request. A moment in time, one that he'd been waiting for since they last saw each other, was sealed with a passionate kiss, then an embrace.

He breathed in the lightly scented fragrance of her perfume as he held her. "God, you feel good."

She sighed as they lingered, holding each other tightly. "So do you."

For what seemed an eternity, they finally stepped out of their embrace and walked into the living room.

"M-m-m, something smells good!" she said.

"If you're hungry, dinner's ready now," he replied.

"I am a little hungry."

"Well, let's start off with some wine." He'd prepared the table in the dining room earlier using his best dishes. The two lit candles stood guard, each one placed at opposite ends of a small colorful floral display.

She followed him into the dining room and sat in the chair that he'd pulled out for her. She waited patiently while he retrieved the wine from the kitchen.

"Ok, here we are," he said as walked towards her. He poured wine into her glass first. She sipped and gave a short nod of approval. He filled his glass and sat down beside her.

"So, Chef Smith, what's on the menu tonight?" she asked smiling.

He began, speaking with a French accent: "Tonight, mademoiselle, we have grilled wild salmon accompanied by organic baby carrots lightly sweetened with organic honey, roasted red potatoes, and a small delectable, sinfully rich, chocolate cake for dessert."

"Superbe!" Veronica replied in French. "You went all out...sounds delicious!"

During their leisurely dinner and dessert, they reminisced about their exploits in Colorado, laughing now at some of what wasn't laughable then.

"Thank you for cooking this fantastic dinner. It's been so nice being able to relax."

"You're welcome, baby." He still couldn't believe how his life had changed in the last few weeks. "Make yourself comfortable in the living room while I clear the table."

"Oh, let me help. It's the least I can do," she offered.

"No, ma'am. You're my guest and besides, you've had a long drive. Go," he continued, waving both hands in a backward motion to shoo her away, "relax...unwind...put your feet up. And take this with you." He handed her a refilled glass of wine.

"Merci beaucoup!" she replied smiling.

David cleared the table and put the leftovers into the refrigerator. The dinner dishes were placed into the dishwasher to be dealt with later. Veronica proceeded to the living room to her luggage. She removed a gift-wrapped article and placed it on the coffee table. She made herself comfortable on the sofa and waited for David to return while sipping her wine.

As he walked through the dining room, he blew out the candles, and poured himself more wine. He then went to the CD player and replaced the already played CDs with more soft music.

"Come, sit beside me," Veronica said patting the sofa seat next to her.

"OK," he replied smiling. A lit lamp sitting on a nearby table and the light from the fireplace softened the ambiance. As he sat down, he noticed the gift on the coffee table. "What's this?" he asked.

"That, my darlin', is the item I told you I'd be bringing to you. You inspired it." It was more than a gift; it was a piece of her soul.

"May I open it now?"

"Yes, of course." She fought the slight twinge of self-doubt rising within her.

David unwrapped the gift. He turned the item right side up and saw that it was a framed painting. In fact, it was a painting of the cabin that they shared while in Colorado.

"Veronica, this is beautiful!" He paused as he examined it. "I'm impressed! Thank you, sweetheart!" He leaned toward her and kissed her. The detail and colors of which she painted the cabin and the surrounding area was truly a beautiful piece of art. "When did you find the time to do this?" he asked as he continued to admire it.

"I took a picture of the cabin on my last day while you were sleeping, before I packed my stuff. I had remembered my camera being in my luggage. When I got home, I began painting, using the picture as a guide. Since the snow had melted, I improvised the snow scene from memory."

He was truly touched by her gift. "You keep this up and you'll be having your own exhibit soon!"

"Oh, that's a long way from now, but thanks for your vote of confidence. It does feel awfully good to be painting again, though."

He walked to the fireplace and placed the painting in a prominent spot on the mantle to join some artifacts he'd collected from his travels over the years. Assured that it was securely placed, he returned to sit beside her. "I'm glad you're painting again. You are truly talented!"

He saw Veronica in a new and appealing light. She seemed complete somehow, more confident which made her even more attractive to him. It was evident that she was getting her mojo back and he was glad to see this side of her.

"Come here," David said as he put his arm around her shoulders. She rested her head on his chest while conforming to his embrace. As he held her, she found herself feeling sleepy. It had been a long day.

As he watched the flames flickering in the fireplace, he felt an increased weight on his chest. He saw that Veronica had fallen asleep. To make himself more comfortable, he slowly raised his legs, placing his feet on the coffee table and crossing them at the ankles. Peace had arrived as he had hoped and, with that, he was certain he was holding a piece of heaven in his arms.

Earlier in the evening Kate had hastily decided, with confidence no doubt, to confront David Smith believing there was no time like the present. She had remembered the big guy at the tavern saying that he'd be returning from his vacation this week. Using her research skills, she had successfully found his home address. Her mission would be met with swiftness and without any regard as to the outcome. She had things to say and was going to make sure he heard what she had to say. However, his heated response was very unexpected. She'd obviously miscalculated his stance regarding his relationship with her mother.

She returned to her floating abode with eyes red and swollen from sobbing. She didn't know if her inner strength would last long enough to deal with all that she had on her plate. She wasn't sure why she had been crying, but despite her current state, she was rather satisfied at having finally confronted David Smith.

Having neglected to leave a light on outside or inside the cabin, she was forced to fumble in her purse for her yacht door key. Finally finding it, she unlocked the door and opened it. As she turned to close the door, a shadowed figure stood in the doorway. Kate immediately pushed the door to close it, using all her strength, but was unable to match the strength of the stranger. He gained entry and closed the door behind him.

She froze, unable to speak, at the surprised intruder. There was an eerie silence. Finally, he spoke.

"Miss Reed, it's me, Lieutenant Martin! I'm sorry if I frightened you," he said in a low whisper.

"_If _you frightened me? Damn it! You scared the hell out of me!" she hissed through clenched teeth. "What are you doing here anyway?" Oh how she wanted to deck him!

"Do you realize there was someone following you tonight? And I don't mean the security detail," he whispered loudly. He stood rigid, not knowing what she was capable of, prepared for any hard blows, and not wanting to invade the personal space between them.

"What do you mean I was followed?" she replied with a slight frown. "Wait...were you following me, too? And for god's sake, why are we whispering?"

He thought for a moment, then replied in his normal deep voice. "I, I don't know...it, it doesn't matter. Just what were you thinking not letting me or one of the other security officers know where you were going tonight? You know the procedure; we'd discussed that earlier." His temper was getting the best of him. God, he hated it when a citizen under police protection didn't follow his directives.

"Ok, ok, so I slipped up once." Jeez, she felt like a prisoner in her own home.

"Do you realize your _slipup_ could've caused you to be hurt or worse?" he replied, hoping he'd gotten that point across to her somehow.

"I had to deal..." She paused for a moment thinking of how to finish her statement. "I had to deal with a personal issue."

"I don't care if it was a personal issue, a legal issue, or any other issue. You are to inform us where you will be going at ALL times! Do we understand each other?" The sound of his voice had raised a decibel or two. Even he was surprised at this.

She hated being reprimanded. It made her feel like a chastised adolescent. "Yeah, yeah, ok, ok" she replied raising her hands slightly and shrugging her shoulders. "It won't happen again." She had to say _something_ to make him think she was remorseful for her actions.

"Good, see that it doesn't!"

Silence filled the room again. Neither of them had moved.

"Who do you think was following me?"

"Right now, I have no idea. Whoever it was, he or she was in a silver Lexus sedan.

She wasn't one to cave in from fear and intimidation, but this was beginning to get to her. "I don't know how much longer I can deal with this," she said in frustration.

"Miss Reed, our investigation is ongoing and it's not going to be solved overnight. If you're feeling like this now, how are you going to be feeling a month or two down the road?" He didn't like the implication that she was faltering. "You've got to remain strong and resolute."

_If only you knew, mister_. "I'm beyond putting up a strong front. I don't deserve any of this," she whimpered.

He refused to respond, not wanting to cater to any pity party, no pun intended. "Have you eaten yet?" he asked as he switched on the ceiling light.

Her eyes squinted at the sudden burst of light. "No, I haven't. My errand distracted me from my dinner plans."

"You had dinner plans, too? Miss Reed..." Oh, he was royally annoyed.

"I didn't mean dinner plans as in...oh, forget it." She gave up on correcting his misinterpretation.

"Well, you should eat something. It's after 8 o'clock." He was hungry, too. "What'll it be? Chinese? Pizza?"

"I dunno. I can't think about food right now." She just wanted to be alone.

He convinced her to sandwiches from a local delicatessen. They added potato salad and drinks to their carry out order. As Jeffrey drove them to pick up the meal, he wondered what Kate's personal issue was and why her eyes were red and swollen. It didn't appear that she had been hurt physically. He thought it best to not pursue the issue at this point as he felt it did have something to do with where she was earlier.

As they walked back to his pick-up truck with bags in hand, Jeffrey commented, "Looks like we're in for a quiet evening as far as the weather is concerned." He rolled his eyes, annoyed at having made the stupid comment, and thought to himself, _Why is it when there's nothing to say, the subject of the weather always fills the void?_

"Looks like it," Kate replied as she looked up toward the sky. The stars were barely visible due to the lights of the city.

They entered the pick-up truck to return to the yacht. Jeffrey's eyes scanned the area for any sign of unusual activity. He was also on the lookout for the silver Lexus.

Kate suggested they go to the deck at the back of her yacht facing the bay—her favorite spot—to sit and eat. The lights of the marina twinkled in the darkness and the clang-clang of the buoys echoed in the night air. There was a lighthouse in the distance across the bay at the edge of a peninsula, its powerful light shining brightly as it rotated in a perfectly timed rhythm.

"Nice spot," Jeffrey said as he sat down in one of the deck chairs. "I'd be out here every night."

Kate sat in the other deck chair and removed her shoes. "Yeah, I do sit out here often despite the fact that I'm being watched."

He let that comment pass without reply. He watched her for a few moments.

"Kate, I'm curious about something." He couldn't wait any longer to ask.

"What are you curious about?" she asked as she took a bite of her sandwich.

"I noticed your eyes were red and swollen when I turned the light on inside the cabin earlier. Would that have anything to do with the _personal issue_ you spoke of earlier?" While he waited for her reply, he drank some of his iced tea as his throat felt very dry.

"I don't want to talk about it," she replied as she gazed out to the bay. It was an uncomfortable feeling learning that he had been so observant of her appearance.

"Fair enough," he replied. He'd leave it for now, but would address it at a later time.

They finished their meal in silence. He was glad to see her at least looking relaxed, her bare feet resting on the railing. He smiled at the shiny color of her toenails. It looked to be a pinkish-orange color. He was reminded of how his twin sisters regularly polished their toenails and fingernails when they were teenagers. There was something very feminine about that.

Jeffrey looked at his watch and saw that it was nearly 11 o'clock.

"Kate, I'm going to call it a night. What are your plans for tomorrow?" he asked.

"No plans whatsoever. I'm going to sleep in and hang around the yacht. I've got some work to do anyway regarding a case." This, she hoped, would be a hint that she wanted to be alone. The _case_ she would be working on would be Terry's.

"Ok, then. If you need me for anything, please don't hesitate to call me, ok?" He had plans of his own that included researching the owner of the Lexus.

"Will do." She started to get up from her chair.

"Sit tight. I can find my way off the yacht. You look so relaxed."

"Ok. Have a good weekend."

"Thanks, you too. It might be a good idea to keep an outside light on."

"Yes, lieutenant," she replied with a salute.

"Well, goodnight then." As he walked away, he heard her reply, "Goodnight, Jeffrey."

Kate decided to go inside. She'd never felt unsafe sitting outside, but was feeling that way now since learning about the Lexus. She locked the door behind her and switched the outside light on. She peeked through slightly parted blinds of one of the port windows and didn't see anyone from the security detail. She began to wonder if there was indeed any other security officers other than Jeffrey.

She wanted to go to the airport and retrieve the gym bag, but decided instead to view the CDs that she'd hidden in an air vent passageway in her room. She unscrewed the vent cover and retrieved them.

The first one was placed into the CD/DVD drive of her laptop. A few moments later, a video appeared on the computer screen. It was a video of Teddy and he began to speak;

"_Kate, I hope you're the one viewing this. I recorded this after our conversation during our lunch at Delgado's. If you've been to the airport locker, you will have found more CDs and handwritten notes of mine. There is something else that I want you to know and it's about the videos that you have either seen by now or will eventually see. In order to maintain secrecy about my knowledge of Tom and Lauren's plans, I had to rely on someone to help me. He is of questionable character, but his assistance is legitimate. I'm sorry for leaving you crumbs to follow, but in order for this have a successful outcome, I had to do things this way. I love you always, my darling." _Teddy through a kiss to the camera intended for her and the video faded to black.

Tears surfaced in her eyes for the second time today. She replayed the video to hear his voice again. Oh, how she missed that comforting, deep voice of his!

Kate relinquished to the fatigue plaguing her and decided any further research of Teddy's belongings could wait until tomorrow. She crawled into bed and soon fell asleep.

It was Saturday morning and Kate had gotten up early to continue her research. She'd retrieved the gym bag from the airport earlier and had gone through most of the information. She organized the most important information while setting aside that which would be reviewed later.

She now understood David Smith's comment about Lauren in his letter to her. Lauren had been leaving work more often than usual since Tom's arrest, ostensibly to _meet with a client. _Kate wondered...

The phone rang. It was Victor Hernandez.

"Hello, Mr. Hernandez. How are you?" she asked smiling.

"Hello, Kate. I'm fine. I was calling to see how you are doing."

"Oh, you know...the usual."

"Well, I've some updated information for you regarding Tom Montane that I'd like to share with you when you're able to meet me at my office."

"Let's hear it now," she replied with anticipation.

"No, I'd prefer to do this in person, in my office. Can you meet me first thing Monday morning?"

"And let me stew all weekend? No sir. I want to know now!"

"Well," Victor Hernandez replied, then paused for a moment. "It's highly unusual, but how soon can you meet me at my office?"

"I can meet you within 30 minutes."

"OK. I'll see you then." Victor ended the call with trepidation, knowing the information he had for Kate would be devastating.

"Hello, Kate. Come on in," Victor said in greeting.

"Hello, Mr. Hernandez." She shook his hand and sat down in one of the chairs facing his desk.

"I'll get down to business. Kate, as it turns out, Tom Montane was also embezzling money from your and Teddy's firm."

"What?! How? For how long?"

"It appears from the records we confiscated from his office that he had set up a fictitious account in the name of a deceased client of your dad of several years ago."

"For what purpose?"

"It turns out he was fronting a drug trafficking operation. His greed for wealth got the best of him. But that's not all."

"Oh?"

"We discovered the extortion scheme he was involved in that included Teddy."

"How could Dad be involved in something like that?"

"I'm sorry. I've misstated what I intended to say." Victor collected his thoughts and clarified with, "He was blackmailing your father."

"For what purpose could he be blackmailing my dad?"

"Kate, Tom knew about your true parentage and used that information to blackmail your dad, or that is, Teddy."

"Mr. Hernandez, _I've_ only recently learned of who my biological father is." She told him of the letter she received from David Smith. "How did Tom know?"

"He learned of the information just before your mom and Teddy married. It was he who arranged the paternity test for David Smith. He was considered a close friend of your mother's family. They felt he could be trusted."

"Oh my god!" She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"Tom was very envious of Teddy's success as an attorney. He was unable to realize that level of success for himself. So, when his firm was failing, he confronted Teddy and asked, or rather demanded, that he work in his firm armed with the information about your parentage he had in his possession to use when it would benefit him. Teddy, being the man that he was, agreed to pay him "hush" money in order to protect your mother's reputation and from your finding out the truth."

"That sounds so out of character for my dad, uh, Teddy. It wasn't like him to cave in to bullying. This extortion scheme must have gone on for a long time!"

"I know you have a high regard for Teddy. He loved you very much, Kate." He watched the emotion wash across her face, then continued. "He and I met a few months before he died as you probably know by now. His gut instincts were correct about Tom. Now, let's get to Lauren."

"Ok." Kate held her breath.

"As it turns out, Lauren helped Tom set up the fictitious account. The name of the client is immaterial for now. The investigation of Lauren is slow-going, but I no doubt feel we'll have enough on her to put her away for a long time too."

Kate digested this new information. Then it struck her...David Smith apparently had _no idea_ that Teddy had known the truth about her mother and Smith. It appeared that Teddy kept that nugget of information to himself.

"Mr. Hernandez, I want to help in your investigation of Lauren. What can I do?" She was fired up now. The more she understood about Teddy and David Smith's friendship, the more she loathed Tom and Lauren.

"Kate, at this time, I don't see what you can do to help."

"Dad, uh, that is Teddy, left me quite a bit of information in the form of disks and handwritten notes that I could lend to you. Also, I have noticed her leaving the office more often than usual. She always uses the excuse of _meeting with a client," _Kate replied using air quotes with her fingers for emphasis. "That's suspicious in itself!"

"Lauren _is_ being followed. As for Teddy's information, he told me when he handed me information that he'd left the same for you. He certainly covered all the bases." He noticed a slight surprised look on her face. "However, for your safety, we will continue the status quo: You will continue to be under the watchful eye of my staff and Lauren will continue to be the object of our investigation."

Kate understood the importance of the plan. She decided she'd go with the flow and wait it out.

It wasn't until a few weeks later, on a Friday morning, that all hell broke loose. Kate walked up the steps to the front door of Reed and Reed only to be met by a handcuffed Lauren being escorted by the FBI to a waiting vehicle. She looked at Kate and threatened her with, "I'll get you for this!" Kate just shook her head and replied, "In your dreams!"

Leo, wide-eyed and speechless for once, caught site of Kate as she entered. She walked up to him, grasped his shoulders, and stated while slightly rocking his shoulders, "It's going to be a glorious day!" She released her grasp and walked into the direction of her office. Leo quickly followed.

"Boss, what in the hell just happened? First Tom Montane, now Lauren?" His confused state was priceless.

"Let's just say, she got what she deserved. I can't talk about it now, but suffice it to say that Reed and Reed will no longer include Lauren!" She felt such satisfaction in that statement.

Lauren was found to be meeting with the head of the drug trafficking ring instead of her clients. Her uneasiness in Tom's arrest was bearing down hard on her, making her desperate and fearful of any revelations that might implicate her in their scheme. She did her best in her frenzied desperation to convince the head of the ring to hire a hit man to kill Kate; however, she obviously was unaware that the person posing as the head of the drug trafficking ring was Robert Hazelton who'd spoken with Teddy some months prior regarding Tom and Lauren. He had disguised his character so well that even the other ring members never suspected anything out of the ordinary.

Robert met Lauren at a designated spot to complete their _transaction._ She gave him an attaché case containing a large sum of cash for the hire. A hidden microphone worn by Robert provided the audio that was being recorded by agents hidden in a nearby van disguised as a home repair business, implicating Lauren royally. A wireless camera hidden nearby recorded the transaction.

David Smith was washing a few beer and wine glasses behind the bar when he noticed a news report on the TV about the outcome of the trials of Tom and Lauren. He smiled with a sense of satisfaction that his hunches about Lauren had been right all along. He wondered how Kate was handling it all. It was then that the front door of the tavern opened and it was she who walked in.

He took a deep breath not knowing what to expect. Kate smiled slightly and walked up to the bar and sat down on a stool near where he stood behind the bar. She had a large manila envelope in her hand.

"I'm not here to cause you any trouble, Mr. Smith," she stated. She looked up toward the TV screen to see an old video of Lauren being whisked away in a police car. She smiled and returned her gaze to David Smith.

"So much has happened since I last spoke to you..." She paused and noticed David Smith's right eyebrow lower in somewhat of a frown as he tilted his head. "There is information in this envelope that expands on some of what you wrote in your letter to me. I also want you to know that there is some information regarding Teddy and Tom Montane in that envelope that has been sealed by the court and will not be released out of respect for me and, ahem, I don't believe I'm saying this, out of respect for you. You'll understand it all when you read the contents of this envelope. I have powerful friends of my own, you know." Kate placed the manila envelope on the bar and slid it in David's direction.

David looked at her even more puzzled. He took the manila envelope and began to open it.

"Better not, unless you have a double scotch in hand," Kate suggested. "Wait to read it when you go home tonight. It's very illuminating!" She stepped off the bar stool and left the tavern.

At home later that evening, David poured himself a double scotch for a little fortitude to read the contents of the envelope. He sat down on the living room sofa, took a deep breath, opened it, and began to read. The most confounding and revealing part of the whole thing other than Tom's embezzlement of the law firm was the reason behind Tom's extortion of Teddy. _What a louse! _he thought to himself.

He found a sealed business sized envelope addressed to him from Teddy included in the manila envelope. _That little minx! _he thought to himself as he wondered how much effort it had taken for Kate to decide that she should relinquish the envelope to him.

He opened it and found a letter in Teddy's handwriting. In it, Teddy revealed his knowledge of Kate's parentage. He went on to explain how he came to find out about that and the ensuing extortion by Tom. Most of the letter, however, was an attempt by Teddy to encourage David to not "beat himself up" about what had happened. He reflected on that information with a sense of sadness and relief. Shaking his head, he remembered the times he and Teddy had gotten together at the tavern, and yet nothing was ever brought up about the affair. He concluded that they had each paid for their past decisions in differing ways. They were both connected, yet separated.

He continued to read that Teddy acknowledged his own behavior which eventually lead to David and Yvonne's affair. He admitted to selfish desire, comparing himself to Tom Montane, to be successful at all costs, even allowing his friend to take the fall for him all those years ago rather than being a man and taking the sole responsibility for his actions. He also stated Yvonne had changed after Kate was born and understood why after he found out about their affair. He felt her change in attitude toward him was because she now had a part of David to sustain her through their less-than-stellar marriage. He stated further that although he and Yvonne had a child of their own later, their marriage wasn't as he'd hoped it would be, but he wanted David to know there was no malice toward him. He stated he was sad for how his selfish acts and neglect of Yvonne had affected her. Most of all, Teddy acknowledged, he was proud to have been his friend despite all that had happened, and that David was a better man than he.

David took a long drink of the double scotch and allowed all that he'd read to sink in. So, Teddy knew all this time and didn't say a thing. How he wished he did. He envisioned a fist fight and the bellowing of vulgarity between the two. At least, there would have been some sort of closure between them.

He wondered how Kate was doing. She was now the sole owner of Reed and Reed, keeping the firm's name in homage to Teddy.

As he reflected on the letter, his phone rang. It was Veronica. She wanted to tell him "Good Night" before going to bed. He smiled and told her how he wished with every fiber of his being that she was with him that he'd missed her. They'd both been very busy with their own businesses which widened the gap of time that prevented them from seeing each other on a frequent basis. He told her of the letter, but saved revealing the content until they saw each other again. The doorbell rang and he asked her to hold on as he went to answer it. He opened the door and saw that it was she who stood on the other side. She said she'd wanted be with him when she learned of the results of the trial. He embraced her tightly, happy to not be alone.

It was October again, and football season was in full swing. It was Saturday and the tavern was full of football fans from all walks of life. David was happier than he'd been in his life as he and Veronica became engaged that year in the spring when cherry tree blossoms perfumed the air. Until Veronica came into his life, he had been a bit disparaging of marriage. She eventually sold her café and moved in with him. She opened a restaurant of her own and called it _Second Chance. _The true meaning behind the name was known only to her and David.

Good things had happened to Kate as well. She and Lieutenant Jeffrey Martin began to date after the trials of Tom and Lauren and were now in a serious relationship, despite Jeffrey's frequent challenges of her strong independent and willful nature. She had also forged another relationship. She and David Smith came to an agreement that while there was still some emotional pain to be dealt with, they would make every effort to work things out between them, for their love and their memory of Yvonne.

THE END


End file.
